I got curious about speakeasies after watching an old gangster flick last Tuesday. You know, those hidden bars with secret knocks? Figured I'd dig into why they popped up like mushrooms in the 1920s.
My Research Rabbit Hole
First, I hit my local library and grabbed dusty history books thicker than my arm. Found out America banned booze in 1920 - the whole "Prohibition" thing. Like, imagine banning coffee today! People still wanted drinks, obviously.
Then I watched documentaries while eating pizza. Gangster flicks weren't lying - real mobsters ran the alcohol trade. Al Capone's crew made millions smuggling liquor. Police took bribes left and right, which shocked me. Corruption was wild back then.
The Big Reasons Why Speakeasies Thrived
After cross-checking sources, three key things stuck out:
- Total Booze Ban - Folks couldn't legally drink anywhere. Restaurants? Dry. Pubs? Shut down.
- Mob Money Machine - Gangsters supplied speakeasies because profits were insane. One textbook said a $6 bottle sold for $300!
- Police Payoffs - Cops earned $40/week but got $300k in bribes annually in Chicago alone. No wonder speakeasies stayed hidden!
Got super nerdy and made a spreadsheet comparing arrests vs. actual raids. Spoiler: tons of speakeasies operated for years without getting busted. Prohibition failed spectacularly.
Putting It All Together
Ended my deep dive at 3 AM with cold coffee. Realized speakeasies were inevitable when you mix human thirst + greedy criminals + broken laws. Best part? Women finally drank publicly there! Before Prohibition, society frowned on "respectable ladies" in bars. Speakeasies became weird equality zones.
Honestly expected boring history, but found a crazy cocktail of crime, rebellion, and social change. Definitely keeping that spreadsheet - might revisit for a jazz-age cocktail party theme next month.
