Last Exit on Brooklyn
Encyclopedia
The Last Exit on Brooklyn was a Seattle University District coffeehouse
established in 1967 by Irv Cisski. It opened on June 30, 1967 at 3930 Brooklyn NE near the University of Washington
campus in a small light-industrial building leased from the University. It was one of the pioneer espresso bars in Seattle, adding an espresso machine
shortly after Café Allegro
opened the first in 1975. The Last Exit was known for its original espresso
concoction named the Caffè Medici – "a doppio poured over chocolate syrup and orange peel with whipped cream on top". Described in 1985 as "America's second oldest, continuously running coffeehouse", it was also known for its inexpensive food and as a venue for folk music
and bohemian
conversation.
The Last Exit was also notable as a popular destination for Seattle Go and chess players including Peter Biyiasas
, Viktors Pupols
, and Yasser Seirawan, who wrote of the venue, "Those first chess lessons soon led me to the legendary Last Exit on Brooklyn coffee house, a chess haven where an unlikely bunch of unusual people congregates to do battle." Interviewed by Sports Illustrated
in 1981, Seirawan described the Last Exit as "Scrabble players, backgammon players, chess and game hustling ... This became my home. This was to become my family."
When interviewed by Mary Lasher of Chess Life
in 1985, Cisski said, "So what if games-people turn away business. They add flavor. Chess and Go are assets to a coffeehouse." The Last Exit was the subject of a 1987 retrospective in the Seattle Times in which Cisski described his intent to "create a haven where students and the benign crazies" were welcome and where "everyone felt equal and there were no sacred cows". It was later described by Seattle writer and journalist Knute Berger
as
Cisski died in the early 1990s. In 1993 the University repossessed the building occupied by the coffeehouse, and the Last Exit's new owners moved it to upper University Way. The Last Exit on Brooklyn closed in 2000.
's 2008 novel, Firefly Lane. It is also mentioned in David Guterson
's 2008 novel, The Other.
Coffeehouse
A coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
established in 1967 by Irv Cisski. It opened on June 30, 1967 at 3930 Brooklyn NE near the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
campus in a small light-industrial building leased from the University. It was one of the pioneer espresso bars in Seattle, adding an espresso machine
Espresso machine
An espresso machine is used to produce the traditional Italian coffee beverage called espresso.-History:The first machine for making espresso was built and patented by Angelo Moriondo of Turin, Italy, who demonstrated a working example at the Turin General Exposition of 1884. He was granted patent no...
shortly after Café Allegro
Café Allegro
Café Allegro is a coffeeshop in University District in Seattle. It is notable for being the first espresso shop in Seattle and for its place in the history of Starbucks as founding proprietor Dave Olsen designed the Starbucks coffee product line.-History:...
opened the first in 1975. The Last Exit was known for its original espresso
Espresso
Espresso is a concentrated beverage brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee. Espresso is widely known throughout the world....
concoction named the Caffè Medici – "a doppio poured over chocolate syrup and orange peel with whipped cream on top". Described in 1985 as "America's second oldest, continuously running coffeehouse", it was also known for its inexpensive food and as a venue for folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and bohemian
Bohemianism
Bohemianism is the practice of an unconventional lifestyle, often in the company of like-minded people, with few permanent ties, involving musical, artistic or literary pursuits...
conversation.
The Last Exit was also notable as a popular destination for Seattle Go and chess players including Peter Biyiasas
Peter Biyiasas
Peter Biyiasas is a Canadian chess grandmaster. He was Canadian champion in 1972 and 1975, represented Canada with fine success on four Olympiad teams, played in two Interzonals. He moved to the United States in 1979, settling in California. He has been retired from competitive play since the...
, Viktors Pupols
Viktors Pupols
Viktors Pūpols is an American chess master. Known by many local players as "Uncle Vik," he frequently plays at the Tacoma Chess Club. He was the Club Champion in 1955, and some of his games can be viewed online at the club's website. Pupols is currently married to Deborah Petzal-Pupols.-Notable...
, and Yasser Seirawan, who wrote of the venue, "Those first chess lessons soon led me to the legendary Last Exit on Brooklyn coffee house, a chess haven where an unlikely bunch of unusual people congregates to do battle." Interviewed by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
in 1981, Seirawan described the Last Exit as "Scrabble players, backgammon players, chess and game hustling ... This became my home. This was to become my family."
When interviewed by Mary Lasher of Chess Life
Chess Life
Chess Life is a monthly chess magazine published in the United States. The official publication of the United States Chess Federation , it reaches more than a quarter of a million readers every month. A subscription to Chess Life is one of the benefits of Full Adult, Youth, or Life membership in...
in 1985, Cisski said, "So what if games-people turn away business. They add flavor. Chess and Go are assets to a coffeehouse." The Last Exit was the subject of a 1987 retrospective in the Seattle Times in which Cisski described his intent to "create a haven where students and the benign crazies" were welcome and where "everyone felt equal and there were no sacred cows". It was later described by Seattle writer and journalist Knute Berger
Knute Berger
Knute "Skip" Berger is an American journalist, writer and editor based in Seattle, Washington.Berger is a columnist for Crosscut.com, writing under the name "Mossback"...
as
Cisski died in the early 1990s. In 1993 the University repossessed the building occupied by the coffeehouse, and the Last Exit's new owners moved it to upper University Way. The Last Exit on Brooklyn closed in 2000.
In popular culture
A description of the interior and atmosphere of the Last Exit appears in Kristin HannahKristin Hannah
Kristin Hannah is an award-winning and bestselling American writer, who has won numerous awards, including the Golden Heart, the Maggie, and the 1996 National Reader's Choice award.-Biography:...
's 2008 novel, Firefly Lane. It is also mentioned in David Guterson
David Guterson
David Guterson is an American novelist, short story writer, poet, journalist, and essayist.-Early life:David Guterson was born May 4, 1956, in Seattle, Washington. During his childhood, he attended Seattle public schools and later attended the University of Washington where he earned Bachelor of...
's 2008 novel, The Other.
See also
- Last Exit to BrooklynLast Exit to BrooklynLast Exit to Brooklyn is a 1964 novel by American author Hubert Selby, Jr. The novel has become a cult classic because of its harsh, uncompromising look at lower class Brooklyn in the 1950s and for its brusque, everyman style of prose....
- University District Museum Without Walls
Further reading
- McPeak, Vivian. "University District Museum Without Walls Oral History: Vivian McPeak (founder, Seattle Peace Heathens; executive director, Seattle Hempfest)". HistoryLinkHistoryLinkHistoryLink is a website that is an encyclopedia of Washington State history. The site has more than 4,500 stories. There are 500 biographies and more than 14,000 images....
Essay 9334.
External links
- Last Exit on Brooklyn – Seattle Wiki.
- Last Exiteers, a gallery of portraits of Last Exit regulars by Seattle artist Eddie Ray Walker.
- Hobbes, Laural; Geiger, Grace; Hart, Rachel. "Coffee Land: Make your way through Seattle's magical caffeine history!", Seattle Magazine, October 2010.