Culinary Student Seeking Boomer Help

We found the following plea on the Baby Boomer Board and decided to move it here to give it a little better exposure.

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"I am in search of information from people who spent time at coffeehouses during the late 60's and early 70's. I am currently a culinary student and intend to recreate the coffeehouse of that era in the future. Due to my age I am unable to create an authentic coffeehouse without help of the Baby Boomer generation. Any tips, ideas, thoughts etc. to spare would be groovy!

peace,
Cinshine"

The first thing you're going to need is tables. "back then" there was an ample supply of big, wooden cable reels. Thanks to one enterprising company, these reels no longer lay around empty fields.

Reel Solutions now recycles them to the cable manufacturers, but I'm sure you could get a few for your coffeehouse.

Don't forget copious quantities of cigarette and pipe smoke mingled with that of our favourite weed. Then you want a few chess sets laying around, a small stage in one corner just big enough for a stool, mike, pig amp and two acoustic backup players. Bad lighting is a must. Depending on themood you're going for Black Light is a definite option.

My all-time favorite had sawdust on the floor. At least, I think it was sawdust--I never actually got down and looked. Also, posters--- advertising local groups, mini-festivals, and upcoming events, protests, macrame workshops, etc. I'm sure we drank and ate something, but I have no idea what.

We drank Mad Dog 20/20 and ate SPAM on crackers

I used to go to the OffCenter Coffee House in Honolulu near the University of Hawaii. It was run by a lutheran minister connected to the UH. He was Hawaii and very COOL. We all hung out and played and listened to guitar folk music. Mostly open mike. Most everyone was in soem state of intoxication, lots of cigarette smoke, and I think they served food, but we usually got the munchies and ended up at a local bakery eating doughnuts. Good luck.

Wow! I remember a place called the Phase II in Atlantic City NJ. The whole place was painted flat black, then flourescent paint deco with flowers and misc cool stuff everywhere. Black lights lit the whole place. Freaky!

There was a big stage and a band called "Grandma" played. Two pieces. Drums and a stereo Bass. Half the Bass went to a huge amp and the other half to an organ speaker. Had a poster of Grandma rolling her weed on the speaker.

Man! What a good time to be alive!

Regarding your cafe, think dark, and burn some rope (hemp) or incense. LOTS of Jasmin or Patoulli would do it for me. (If you find a 4 foot bong made out of plumbing fittings, call me)

Paul