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Last Exit on Brooklyn

December 14, 2023

Not to be confused with Last Exit to Brooklyn.

The Last Exit on Brooklyn was a Seattle University District coffeehouse established in 1967 by Irv Cisski.[1] It is known for its part in the history of Seattle's counterculture, for its pioneering role in establishing Seattle's coffee culture, and as a former chess venue frequented by several master players.

Irv Cisski (second from left) in the kitchen of the Last Exit, circa 1983-85

History edit

The Last Exit on Brooklyn opened on June 30, 1967 at 3930 Brooklyn Avenue NE[2] near the University of Washington campus in a small light-industrial building leased from the University.[3] The cafe's name was suggested by Paul Dorpat, editor of The Helix, as a play on Hubert Selby Jr.'s counterculture novel Last Exit to Brooklyn.[4] Cisski had preferred "The New World Cafe".[4]

The Last Exit was one of the pioneer espresso bars in Seattle,[5] adding an espresso machine shortly after Café Allegro opened the first in 1975.[6] The cafe 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".[7] Described in 1985 as "America's second oldest, continuously running coffeehouse",[8] it was also known for its inexpensive food and as a venue for folk music and bohemian conversation.[1]

The Last Exit was also notable as a popular destination for Seattle's amateur and professional Go[9][10] and chess players including Peter Biyiasas,[8] Viktors Pupols,[8] and Yasser Seirawan,[11] 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."[12] 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."[13]

When interviewed by Mary Lasher of Chess Life in 1985, owner Irv Cisski said, "So what if games-people turn away business. They add flavor. Chess and Go are assets to a coffeehouse."[8] 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".[4] It was later described by Seattle writer and journalist Knute Berger as

 
Sign indicating that the Last Exit on Brooklyn has moved

one of Seattle's great '60s landmarks, a gathering place for UW students, radicals, poets, nut jobs, chess masters, teens, intellectuals, workers, musicians, artists, beatniks, and hippies ... I remember the din, the open-mike music, cigarette smoke, impromptu poetry readings, the arguments of lefties, libertarians, crackpots, and cultists. You could hear the rhythm and roar of the counterculture as it lived and breathed.[14]

Cisski died on August 25, 1992.[15] In 1993 the University ended the lease of the building to the coffeehouse, and the Last Exit's new owners moved it to upper University Way.[3] The Last Exit on Brooklyn closed in 2000.[1] The space the original Last Exit once occupied now houses staff members from the University of Washington's Human Resources Department.[14]

In popular culture edit

The Last Exit was included in Clark Humphrey's 2006 book of historical photographs Vanishing Seattle.[16]

Descriptions of the interior and atmosphere of the Last Exit appear in Kristin Hannah's 2008 novel Firefly Lane,[17] in David Guterson's 2008 novel The Other,[18] and in Marjorie Kowalski Cole's 2012 The City Beneath the Snow: Stories.[19]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Humphrey, Clark (2006). Vanishing Seattle. Images of America. Arcadia Publishing. p. 40. ISBN 0-7385-4869-3.
  2. ^ Crowley, Walt (1997). Rites of Passage: A Memoir of the Sixties in Seattle. University of Washington Press. p. 243. ISBN 0-295-97493-1.
  3. ^ a b Peterson, David (December 21, 2009). "The development of coffeehouses in Seattle" in 1605 E. Olive Way: Seattle Historic Landmark Nomination 2011-10-07 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  4. ^ a b c de Barros, Paul (June 20, 1987). "Last Exit, many returns: 20 years and many fads later, laid back U District coffeehouse show no signs of slowing down". The Seattle Times. p. E1.
  5. ^ Bock, Paula (June 26, 1994). "Choice Of A Generation – Be Young. Have Fun. Make Lattes. – Coffee Break – Seattle's Baristas Pull Straight Shots On And Off The Job". The Seattle Times. from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  6. ^ . CafeAllegroMusic.com. Café Allegro. Archived from the original on March 15, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  7. ^ Connors, Brian. "The Coffeehouse Dictionary: A (Hopefully) Non-Partisan Guide to Coffee Talk". from the original on December 24, 2013. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  8. ^ a b c d Lasher, Mary (1985). "Seattle's Last Exit – the Chess Coffeehouse". Chess Life. United States Chess Federation. 40.
  9. ^ Remirez, Marc (March 16, 2003). "Go, go, go: Ancient game of strategy captures new generation of players". The Seattle Times. from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  10. ^ Bellamy-Walker, Tat (July 24, 2023). "The Seattle Go Center looks for new home after closing U District site". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 24, 2023. Kron, who discovered his love of the game decades ago after stumbling upon the shuttered cafe The Last Exit on Brooklyn, a home for Go and chess players in the U District, said the closure of the center is bittersweet.
  11. ^ Burgess, Graham; Nunn, John. (2009). "Yasser Seirawan". The Mammoth Book of Chess. Running Press. p. 349. ISBN 978-0-7624-3726-9.
  12. ^ Seirawan, Yasser (2003). Play Winning Chess. Everyman Chess. p. 135. ISBN 978-1-85744-331-8.
  13. ^ Nack, William (December 21, 1980). "Yasser, That's My Baby". Sports Illustrated. p. 3. from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  14. ^ a b Berger, Knute (September 27, 2007). . Crosscut.com. Archived from the original on November 30, 2011. Retrieved November 27, 2011. A premature obituary for the building that housed the Last Exit.
  15. ^ Stevens, Jeff (June 23, 2013). "June 23, 1967: Last Exit on Brooklyn". The Seattle Star. from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
  16. ^ Humphrey, Clark (2006). Vanishing Seattle. Images of America. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0738548692.
  17. ^ Hannah, Kristin (2009). Firefly Lane (reprint ed.). Macmillan. pp. 112–115. ISBN 978-0-312-53707-4.
  18. ^ Guterson, David (2008). The Other. Random House, Inc. pp. 106–107. ISBN 978-0-307-26315-5.
  19. ^ Cole, Marjorie Kowalski (2012). "Rara Avis". The City Beneath the Snow: Stories. University of Alaska Press. pp. 195–196. ISBN 9781602231566.

Further reading edit

  • Hobbes, Laural; Geiger, Grace; Hart, Rachel (October 2010). "Coffee Land: Make your way through Seattle's magical caffeine history!". Seattle Magazine.
  • McPeak, Vivian. "University District Museum Without Walls Oral History: Vivian McPeak". HistoryLink. Essay 9334.

External links edit

  • Last Exiteers, a gallery of portraits of Last Exit regulars by Seattle artist Eddie Ray Walker. (registration required)
  • Remember these Seattle restaurants? (12 of 41), Seattle Post-Intelligencer (2014)

47°39′18″N 122°18′51″W / 47.655033°N 122.314238°W / 47.655033; -122.314238

December 14, 2023
last, exit, brooklyn, confused, with, last, exit, brooklyn, seattle, university, district, coffeehouse, established, 1967, cisski, known, part, history, seattle, counterculture, pioneering, role, establishing, seattle, coffee, culture, former, chess, venue, fr. Not to be confused with Last Exit to Brooklyn The Last Exit on Brooklyn was a Seattle University District coffeehouse established in 1967 by Irv Cisski 1 It is known for its part in the history of Seattle s counterculture for its pioneering role in establishing Seattle s coffee culture and as a former chess venue frequented by several master players Irv Cisski second from left in the kitchen of the Last Exit circa 1983 85 Contents 1 History 2 In popular culture 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksHistory editThe Last Exit on Brooklyn opened on June 30 1967 at 3930 Brooklyn Avenue NE 2 near the University of Washington campus in a small light industrial building leased from the University 3 The cafe s name was suggested by Paul Dorpat editor of The Helix as a play on Hubert Selby Jr s counterculture novel Last Exit to Brooklyn 4 Cisski had preferred The New World Cafe 4 The Last Exit was one of the pioneer espresso bars in Seattle 5 adding an espresso machine shortly after Cafe Allegro opened the first in 1975 6 The cafe was known for its original espresso concoction named the Caffe Medici a doppio poured over chocolate syrup and orange peel with whipped cream on top 7 Described in 1985 as America s second oldest continuously running coffeehouse 8 it was also known for its inexpensive food and as a venue for folk music and bohemian conversation 1 The Last Exit was also notable as a popular destination for Seattle s amateur and professional Go 9 10 and chess players including Peter Biyiasas 8 Viktors Pupols 8 and Yasser Seirawan 11 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 12 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 13 When interviewed by Mary Lasher of Chess Life in 1985 owner Irv Cisski said So what if games people turn away business They add flavor Chess and Go are assets to a coffeehouse 8 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 4 It was later described by Seattle writer and journalist Knute Berger as nbsp Sign indicating that the Last Exit on Brooklyn has movedone of Seattle s great 60s landmarks a gathering place for UW students radicals poets nut jobs chess masters teens intellectuals workers musicians artists beatniks and hippies I remember the din the open mike music cigarette smoke impromptu poetry readings the arguments of lefties libertarians crackpots and cultists You could hear the rhythm and roar of the counterculture as it lived and breathed 14 Cisski died on August 25 1992 15 In 1993 the University ended the lease of the building to the coffeehouse and the Last Exit s new owners moved it to upper University Way 3 The Last Exit on Brooklyn closed in 2000 1 The space the original Last Exit once occupied now houses staff members from the University of Washington s Human Resources Department 14 In popular culture editThe Last Exit was included in Clark Humphrey s 2006 book of historical photographs Vanishing Seattle 16 Descriptions of the interior and atmosphere of the Last Exit appear in Kristin Hannah s 2008 novel Firefly Lane 17 in David Guterson s 2008 novel The Other 18 and in Marjorie Kowalski Cole s 2012 The City Beneath the Snow Stories 19 See also edit nbsp Chess portalList of defunct restaurants of the United StatesReferences edit a b c Humphrey Clark 2006 Vanishing Seattle Images of America Arcadia Publishing p 40 ISBN 0 7385 4869 3 Crowley Walt 1997 Rites of Passage A Memoir of the Sixties in Seattle University of Washington Press p 243 ISBN 0 295 97493 1 a b Peterson David December 21 2009 The development of coffeehouses in Seattle in 1605 E Olive Way Seattle Historic Landmark Nomination Archived 2011 10 07 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved January 6 2012 a b c de Barros Paul June 20 1987 Last Exit many returns 20 years and many fads later laid back U District coffeehouse show no signs of slowing down The Seattle Times p E1 Bock Paula June 26 1994 Choice Of A Generation Be Young Have Fun Make Lattes Coffee Break Seattle s Baristas Pull Straight Shots On And Off The Job The Seattle Times Archived from the original on September 30 2012 Retrieved January 6 2012 History CafeAllegroMusic com Cafe Allegro Archived from the original on March 15 2012 Retrieved January 6 2012 Connors Brian The Coffeehouse Dictionary A Hopefully Non Partisan Guide to Coffee Talk Archived from the original on December 24 2013 Retrieved January 6 2012 a b c d Lasher Mary 1985 Seattle s Last Exit the Chess Coffeehouse Chess Life United States Chess Federation 40 Remirez Marc March 16 2003 Go go go Ancient game of strategy captures new generation of players The Seattle Times Archived from the original on September 30 2012 Retrieved January 6 2012 Bellamy Walker Tat July 24 2023 The Seattle Go Center looks for new home after closing U District site The Seattle Times Retrieved July 24 2023 Kron who discovered his love of the game decades ago after stumbling upon the shuttered cafe The Last Exit on Brooklyn a home for Go and chess players in the U District said the closure of the center is bittersweet Burgess Graham Nunn John 2009 Yasser Seirawan The Mammoth Book of Chess Running Press p 349 ISBN 978 0 7624 3726 9 Seirawan Yasser 2003 Play Winning Chess Everyman Chess p 135 ISBN 978 1 85744 331 8 Nack William December 21 1980 Yasser That s My Baby Sports Illustrated p 3 Archived from the original on November 3 2012 Retrieved January 6 2012 a b Berger Knute September 27 2007 It s the end for the Last Exit Crosscut com Archived from the original on November 30 2011 Retrieved November 27 2011 A premature obituary for the building that housed the Last Exit Stevens Jeff June 23 2013 June 23 1967 Last Exit on Brooklyn The Seattle Star Archived from the original on April 2 2015 Retrieved February 28 2015 Humphrey Clark 2006 Vanishing Seattle Images of America Arcadia Publishing ISBN 978 0738548692 Hannah Kristin 2009 Firefly Lane reprint ed Macmillan pp 112 115 ISBN 978 0 312 53707 4 Guterson David 2008 The Other Random House Inc pp 106 107 ISBN 978 0 307 26315 5 Cole Marjorie Kowalski 2012 Rara Avis The City Beneath the Snow Stories University of Alaska Press pp 195 196 ISBN 9781602231566 Further reading editHobbes Laural Geiger Grace Hart Rachel October 2010 Coffee Land Make your way through Seattle s magical caffeine history Seattle Magazine McPeak Vivian University District Museum Without Walls Oral History Vivian McPeak HistoryLink Essay 9334 External links editLast Exiteers a gallery of portraits of Last Exit regulars by Seattle artist Eddie Ray Walker registration required Remember these Seattle restaurants 12 of 41 Seattle Post Intelligencer 2014 47 39 18 N 122 18 51 W 47 655033 N 122 314238 W 47 655033 122 314238 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Last Exit on Brooklyn amp oldid 1166934700, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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