Knee High’s nondescript front door
Tavern Law is set to open on Capitol Hill in the coming weeks. It will join Knee High as the second “speakeasy”-themed establishment on the Hill.
KIRO radio fires up their cultural barometer and calls the trend a craze:
The speakeasy craze has been sweeping the nation. A lot of these theme bars are opening. The good news is you’ll actually know where the one in Seattle is located.
“In New York, you have to text someone to get in or go through all these hoops to get to these bars. In Seattle, that doesn’t necessarily work. We’re more approachable,” said [Tavern Law’s Brian] McCracken.
Where to file our real-life Capitol Hill speakeasy and proprietor Rick Wilson in all of this? Does his current troubled situation represent the death of the authentic exclusivity and secrecy the craze apes? Maybe we should think of him as a cutting-edge entrepreneur. Not the first time that a troubled innovator has been taken down while those working within the establishment live on, for sure. But an interesting cultural juxtaposition is playing out. Will the speakeasy thing still be cool after all this?
Can someone explain how these places work? I would never know the Knee High is there. Can you just walk in? Has anyone been?
Thanks for posting the pic of Knee High, I didn’t realize a new business had opened there. I live a block away and saw people outside that door but I didn’t see any sign so figured it wasn’t open yet.
Looks like a billion people on Yelp have already discovered it… I feel out of the loop now. :(
Hi. I am one of the bartenders at Knee High. Just come on up, ring the bell and we’ll let you in. Open everyday at 6 except monday. We feature well-made classic cocktails in a down low environment. Swing, jazz, and blues on the stereo and mellow lighting. Come on in a stranger, leave as a friend.
These will survive because people who are going there do so for the low-key atmosphere and great drinks. I’m headed to the Knee High tonight for this very reason. And a punch bowl.
But here I wait. Ringing the bell. Singing songs in my head.
It’s Monday. Thanks, Calendar
I knew about the Knee High, but if I didn’t have the street address, I would never have found it. It was weird that they have no sign. But since I figured out how it works, now I think its awesome.
Isn’t no sign the point?