ABSTRACT
It looked like a regular grocery shop. There were tins of crackers, cans of meat, displays of vegetables, and a cooler full of soda pop. Inside the door, there were steps that led down to another door. Another set of code words had to be given. The last door opened into a room crowded with small tables and chairs and filled with the smoke of cigarettes. It was a speakeasy—an illegal liquor club that became popular during Prohibition. They got their name because patrons had to speak quietly—or easy—about the location and the passwords. Because they were selling liquor, the speakeasies were targets for police raids and patrons could be arrested for engaging in the illegal trade of alcohol. But despite the risk, thousands of people went to the speakeasies. Speakeasy owners found that women were good for business. If there was music, the women wanted to dance and the men wanted to stay longer to dance with them.
