KGB (bar)
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| Location | 85 E. 4th Street, East Village,Manhattan,New York City,New York,United States |
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| Coordinates | 40°43′36″N73°59′24″W/ 40.726580°N 73.989923°W |
| Type | Bar |
| Opened | 1993 |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
KGBis aSoviet era-themed ( "Communist chic"[1] ) bar located in theEast Villageof New York City at 85 E. 4th Street, New York, New York 10003.
History[edit]
Before its present incarnation, the building had been the Palm Casino, aspeakeasycontrolled byLucky Luciano.From 1948 to 1988 it was a private social club for communists and socialists.[2]On the bar's walls are "Stalinist woodcuts, World War II posters, a picture ofValentina V. Tereshkova,hammer-and-sickle flags and the odd Lenin bust and balalaika. "[3][4]
Inspired by the Soviet-era memorabilia stored in the building,[5]KGB Bar opened in 1993,[6]and became one of the most popular book-reading venues inNew York City.[2]Popular authors read herepro bonoon Sunday evenings (fiction), Monday evenings (poetry), and most Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.[7]KGB has been named best literary venue in New York City byNew Yorkmagazine[citation needed],The Village Voice[citation needed],and others.[3]
Reading series[edit]
The bar hosts several regular reading series which include:
- Trumpet Fiction – Literary fiction and arts, held on the second Saturday of every month, hosted byJonathan Kravetz
- Fantastic Fiction – A monthlyspeculative fictionreading series at the KGB Bar, held on the third Wednesday of every month, currently hosted byEllen DatlowandMatthew Kressel
- Monday Night Poetry Series – Founded by David Lehman and Star Black, this legendary series has lasted more than a decade and features an impressive slate of major contemporary poets in its fall and spring seasons. The series spawned a book,The KGB Bar Book of Poems,in 2000. Currently, the event is hosted by John Deming, Jada Gordon, Susan Lewis, and Tyler Allen Penny.
References[edit]
- ^Wilson, John (February 15, 1999)."Communist Chic".Washington Examiner.RetrievedMarch 2,2022.
- ^abCollins, Glenn (September 25, 1998)."A Cold War Relic Is a Literary Hot Spot; New Authors Hope Someone Important Is Listening to Them at Bar's Readings".The New York Times.RetrievedMarch 2,2022.
- ^abWoychuk, Denis, Founder & President"KGB Bar: A Brief and Distorted History",Retrieved on March 30, 2008.
- ^Kortava, David (March 20, 2017)."Russia and Revolution at KGB Bar".The New Yorker.
- ^Broder, Mitch (March 15, 1997)."Back in the U.S.S.R."The Journal News (White Plains, NY).pp. C1, C7.RetrievedMarch 2,2022– via Newspapers.com.
- ^Marcius, Chelsia Rose (November 1, 2020)."Read It – Or Weep".New York Daily News.p. 3.RetrievedMarch 2,2022– via Newspapers.com.
- ^Morris, Bill (July 15, 2001)."Best of New York: The word is out".New York Daily News.p. 10-Lifeline.RetrievedFebruary 28,2022– via Newspapers.com.