Penny Universities
Coffeehouses have been around for a long time and have carried a strong social significance since they started.
The first coffeehouses appeared in Damascus and Mecca in the 15th century, with the first coffee shop, Kiva Han, opening in Istanbul in 1475. These spaces quickly gained popularity; they became popular for a variety of reasons, but most importantly because they introduced a new way of gathering. Most practicing Muslims at the time did not drink alcohol, so coffeehouses offered a space that allowed gathering similar to how a bar would but with drinks that everyone could drink.
As coffeehouses became more popular, folks realized that they were one of the best places for the exchange of information. It didn't matter where you were from, what your social class was, how much money you had, or what religion you were a part of — coffeehouses were for anyone and everyone that had something to say.
This egalitarian space did however cause problems for people in power throughout various stages of history. In Mecca, imams banned coffeehouses from 1512 to 1524, recognizing that they were political gathering places and that they were spaces that could influence people. Similarly, in 1633 the Ottoman Sultan Murad IV banned coffee in Istanbul, making the drinking of the beverage punishable by death. This did not stop coffeehouses from spreading and continuing to offer affordable drinks to people from all walks of life.
Coffee first spread from Damascus and Mecca to Baghdad and Yemen, as well as the rest of the Muslim world. From there, it spread to Europe. In 1529, the Turkish army brought coffee to Italy leading to the first coffeehouses in Vienna. These coffee shops became popular all over Europe, specifically in places like France, Italy, and Germany.
Again, the big appeal of coffee shops of course had something to do with the drinks, but was more importantly the social exchange of information. Coffeehouses around the world started to be called things like “penny universities”, “schools of the wise”, or “schools of wisdom” over time as people continued to converse in new ways (and at the cost of just buying a coffee).
The Get Down is no different from these coffee shops that started in the 1400’s. We are a gathering place for folks from all different walks of life; and although we pride ourselves on good customer service and good coffee, this is not the main point of the space. Our mission is to provide somewhere where people can challenge each other, learn and foster human connection in ways that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to. We hope you feel this when you step in The Get Down ~
