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| − | From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under the GFDL
| + | #REDIRECT [[Havana Central at The West End]] |
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| − | ''' The West End ''' bar, also known as the "West End Gate", is located on [[Broadway (New York City)|Broadway]] near 114th Street in the [[Morningside Heights]] neighborhood of the Borough of [[Manhattan]] in [[New York City]]. Since its establishment in [[1911]], the bar has served as a popular gathering place for [[Columbia University]] undergraduates (its slogan is "Where Columbia Had Its First [[Beer]]"). The bar was also a meetingplace for many [[Beat Generation]] writers as well as many 1960s student activists when they attended the university.
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| − | ===History===
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| − | In the early 1940s, in the formative days of the [[Beat generation]], students including [[Allen Ginsberg]], [[Jack Kerouac]], and [[Lucien Carr]] spent hours at the bar discussing their studies and their futures. In the [[1960s]], the bar was host to student activists upset about racial discrimination in the area and US foreign policy regarding Vietnam. [[Mark Rudd]], who led the Columbia branch of [[Students for a Democratic Society]] and was a promninent member of the [[Weather Underground]] after his expulsion from the university in [[1968]], spent time at the bar while a student.
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| − | After closing for a year and a half, it was bought in 1990 by Katie Gardner, a graduate of Columbia's [[Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism|School of Journalism]]. She and her family installed a back room for [[beer pong]], a basement area for parties, and a side room for dancing, and the bar became popular especially among university freshmen. It became notorious, however, for allowing underaged drinkers, with or without ID. However, the bar began to crack down on underage drinking since it was shutdown by the police in February [[2005]].
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| − | In late [[2004]], the bar began brewing its own brand of "Ker O'Whack" beer. The bar also serves food, including a widely popular Sunday [[brunch]]. It recently installed flatscreen monitors for advertising, and has several televisions showing a regular stream of sports coverage. As a result of all these improvements, ''[[Playboy Magazine]]'' featured The West End as college bar of the month in its [[February]] [[2005]] issue.
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| − | ===Present day===
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| − | The West End ''qua'' West End closed in April 2006, to be replaced by a "Havana Central at the West End", part of the "Havana Central" chain of Cuban restaurants, at the same location. The transformation has been greeted with outcry and apprehension from customers and neighborhood residents. The new restaurant opened in late [[2006]].
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| − | ==External links==
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| − | * [http://www.columbiaspectator.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/04/03/4430c7adcc5b0?in_archive=1 ''Columbia Spectator'' piece announcing sale and transformation of the West End into a Cuban restaurant]
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| − | * [http://www.columbiaspectator.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/04/10/443a115f0fb02?in_archive=1 ''Columbia Spectator'' piece describing plans for Havana Central at the West End]
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| − | * [http://www.columbiaspectator.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/04/11/443b4440ee078?in_archive=1 ''Columbia Spectator'' piece on closing of the West End, with a bit of history]
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| − | * [http://www.columbiaspectator.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/04/11/443b302689eb7?in_archive=1 ''Columbia Spectator'' piece of reminiscences of the West End]
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| − | [[Category: Bars]]
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| − | [[Category: Traditions]]
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