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HISTORY OF THE COFFEEHOUSE

The history of the coffeehouse in most countries where it has been available is one of sharing of ideas. These ideas have been political, religious, philosophical and cultural. The actual date of the first coffee house is debatable, but it is known that Kiva Han, the coffee house established by the Ottoman Turks opened in 1471 in Constantinople. Kiva Han still exists today in Istanbul. Thick, rich, dark coffee served hot in small cups and sipped while discussing news, play games, and sometimes listen to musicians or poets was the mainstay of the social life in the city.
Turkish women did not appear in coffeehouses, but could sue their husband for divorce if he didn't keep her supplied with coffee beans.

During this time period, thousands of acres of agricultural land in Yemen and across the Arabian Peninsula were planted into coffee plantations. In 1530, Damascus became the home of Syria's first coffeehouse. The history of the coffeehouse continued to spread across Europe along with the growth of the plantations and reputation of the beverage. In 1650, coffee beans were smuggled out of Arabia who had heretofore retained tight control over this valuable commodity, and planted in India where plantations from this time period still flourish.

Also in 1650, the first English coffeehouse was opened in the city of Oxford. The popularity in England was expanding at the same time as the Turkish coffeehouses were shut down. By the 18th century, writers such as Ben Johnson, John Dryden, Samuel Pepys and Jonathan Swift were spending hours daily in a coffeehouse usually with a fireplace around which the literati and others congregated.

Several great businesses can trace their history to the history of the coffeehouse. For example, Lloyd's of London started as coffeehouse frequented by many owners who had ties to the shipping industry. The great auction houses of Sotheby's and Christies were associated with a London coffeehouse.

In Vienna, the history of the coffeehouse took a different direction. The 1683 planned takeover of Vienna by the Turkish army of Muhammad IV was forestalled by the espionage work of one Franz Kolschitsky who claimed a large chest of green coffee beans as his reward and with them opened the city's first coffeehouse, known as the Blue Bottle. The popularity of the Viennese coffeehouse and its second menu item, the Viennese pastries meant the growth of an entire generation of musicians, such as Bach, Heinrici, and Beethoven were influenced by and in the coffeehouses of the day. Later the Viennese coffeehouse was the home of multitude of the avant-garde such as Freud, Felix Mendelssohn, Richard Strauss, and Hugo Wolf. Games, cabaret shows, and billiards all took place in an atmosphere of rich dark fabrics and silver accessories and fixtures

The history of the coffeehouse in the United States took a different path yet. In the 1950's coffeehouses served black coffee; and individual performers provided music, poetry and recitations. This led into the performances of the folk singers such as Joan Baez in the next decade. Not until some 30 years later with the emergence of Starbucks and other chains as a nationwide phenomenon did coffeehouses take the form of today. The surroundings are clean and generally bright, there are literally hundreds of choices in coffee roasts, beverages and styles. Some food is served generally, but it is not the focus of the outlet.

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