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How did coffeehouses evolve?
16th century: First coffeehouses appear in Middle Eastern countries. These early establishments were places for men to gather and drink coffee or tea, enjoy live music, read books, hear poetry and story readings, and play games such as chess and backgammon. Some believe the world's first coffeehouse opened in Damascus, Syria, in 1530.
17th century: Coffeehouses begin to open in Europe, outside the Ottoman Empire. The first coffeehouse in Western Europe is believed to have been in Venice, Italy, in 1645. 1650: First coffeehouse opens in United Kingdom. The establishment was in Oxford. London's first coffeehouse opened two years later. 1670: Boston is city where first coffeehouse opens in what would become the United States.
1671: First coffeehouse opens in Paris, France. 1675: King Charles II orders that Britain's popular coffeehouses be closed. He said they were ''places where the disaffected met, and spread scandalous reports concerning the conduct of His Majesty and his Ministers.'' The public outrage against the shutdown was so severe that Charles had to rescind his order.
1683: First coffeehouse opens in Vienna after the Turks were defeated during the battle for the city. The Turks left behind coffee beans that were used to provide the java at Vienna's first cafe. 1686: The famous Cafe Le Procope, a Parisian coffeehouse, opens for business. The establishment is still open today and some argue it is where the first encyclopedia was written. This coffeehouse also is considered to be the center of the period known as the French Enlightenment.
1698: Stock and commodity prices are listed at Jonathan's Coffeehouse in London. The establishment is considered to be the forerunner of the London Stock Exchange. Famous London auction houses Sotheby's and Christie's are also believed to have their roots in coffeehouses. 1739: Coffeehouses are wildly popular in Britain; there are 551 in London alone. Each coffeehouse attracted its own type of patrons, typically determined by occupation or political leanings. Coffeehouses continued to be places for men to gather and usually the only women present were servers.
Late 18th century: Coffeehouses in Persia become popular venues for philosophers to gather and discuss social and political issues. The Coffee-House-Style of painting began in these coffeehouses around this time. 1950s: American coffeehouses - typically located in bigger cities - become venues for live music, most notably folk music.
1960s: Coffeehouses similar to those started in Italian-American communities begin to spread across the United States. Seattle and other Pacific Northwest towns and cities have thriving coffeehouse scenes. At the same time, coffeehouses decline in popularity in the United Kingdom. 1970s and 1980s: U.S. churches and religious groups begin opening coffeehouses for the purpose of religious outreach.
1990s: Coffeehouses begin a resurgence in the United Kingdom as Starbucks and other large chains open cafes. Source: Journal staff and Wikipedia
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