A Writer’s Guide for the Informed Speakeasy Owner
For those of you who write or read historical novels, I’ve got a real treat for you. My guest, Sarah Zama, is an expert in the roaring Twenties era, and she’s here to show us what’s involved in running a speakeasy. Fun, right? I’m on my last leg of edits, so I’ll step aside and leave you in Sarah’s capable hands.
All yours, Sarah!
Don’t get me wrong. I see quite a lot of novels set in the Twenties, most of them being family sagas and erotica. But let’s be honest, the Twenties call for crime fiction. Gangsters, bootlegging, speakeasies, flaming youth… come on!
You hear the word speakeasy and immediately think of Prohibition. I know you do.
What? Now that you’ve thought about it, you think running a speakeasy sounds more profitable than writing a novel? That’s not where I wanted to go, but okay. Yeah, I know. Flappers, jazz, cocktails and all that fun stuff. But there are more unsavory angles to the business. Maybe we should talk this out. Let’s look at the facts.
What would you sell?
First off, no matter what form they take, speakeasies are always outlaw enterprises. There’s no romantic angle to it. Once you can live with this, we can go on.
In little towns they are mostly small places, very often they’re rooms inside private houses, where you share booze you produced yourself. Which technically is legal…until you charged for it. But let’s be honest, though this can be a smooth business (your townsmen, even the sheriff, aren’t likely to bother you) there isn’t much money in it.
Where you want your speakeasy is in the big city. If you go this route, I just want you to be aware that you’re going to deal with the underworld. End of story. Bootlegging in the big city is the business of mobsters. And it’s a very serious business. Big money usually is. Mobsters either own or control most speakeasies, so not only will you get your booze from them, you’ll also want to be nice and polite with their entire crew.
Where this booze comes from, you don’t want to know. Believe me. Yes, mobsters do import a small amount of genuine liquor from abroad and charge a fortune for it, but you, like most people, can’t afford it. For the most part, the booze you can afford is produced inside the United States.
But here’s the problem: liquor – genuine liquor – must be aged. At the very least it takes months to produce decent liquor. This is extremely inconvenient, because the demand is very high. So high, in fact, that no mobster could keep up with it…if they dealt with the real stuff.
Which they don’t, of course. They need something that’s easy to do and doesn’t require aging. That’s gin. Alcohol, water, juniper berries. A quick mix, a short steep, and you’re done. So easy that a kid could do it. In fact, entire families produce gin and sell it to mobsters. It’s an easy business, relatively profitable…as long as they don’t get caught. In which case, they may claim that it’s for their own consumption (which is legal), but yeah, whether that’s believable depends on the size of their stock, I suppose.
But there’s another problem. While getting water and juniper barriers is easy, getting alcohol surely isn’t. You could get small amounts of alcohol from a medical prescription – which would be ethylic alcohol – but you’re unlikely to build a business on that. So you’ll get alcohol from the bootleggers themselves…and that isn’t ethylic alcohol.
Even during Prohibition, alcohol was still produced in the U.S. for industrial purposes, but to make sure it wouldn’t be used for consumption, it was denaturized by adding methanol. Methanol, by the way, is poisonous and may result in death if consumed in large quantities. Bootleggers diverted this industrial alcohol from its original destinations, made it drinkable (or supposedly so) with a fast, extremely unreliable process, and sold it to producers or processed it themselves. As it’s easy to guess, this alcohol was still very dangerous for the health and if that was not enough, it became even more dangerous when it was added with all an array of suspicious substances to give the illusion that it was some other kind of liquor.
In the best of cases, it tastes horrible. In the worst, it kills you. But hey, you just plan to sell it, you don’t have to drink it, right?
Who would you deal with?
People involved in the first leg of the alcohol-producing line are forced to deal with mobsters. You, who are involved in the final leg of the alcohol consumption line, are involved even more.
Mobsters control any kind of alcohol that isn’t industrial, so you get your liquors from them. And even if you aren’t a mobster, you want to be very, very careful who you buy your liquor from. It may be a life or death decision.
In big cities there are usually gangs warring over the profitable bootleg market. These gangs are normally highly ethnically characterized. Which means, it isn’t just an economic matter, it’s a social matter as well. If you’re smart, you deal with the gang controlling the territory where your business is located. Chances are high you belonged to the same ethnic group as the gang, so you’re kind of culturally compelled to deal with them.
Sometimes, you not only share the gang’s culture and origin, but their native language as well. In many respects, you prefer to deal with that gang. Well, that would certainly be true in my case. But even if you don’t belong to the gang’s ethnicity, you’ll still deal with the gang controlling your territory for practical reasons.
The price of alcohol is notoriously very high, and not only for a question of high demand, but also because it includes protection. A percentage of the alcohol prize is protection. Which means, the moment you pay that price it’s as if you’re signing a contract, an understanding with that gang. The gang is not only providing you with alcohol, they are also guaranteeing that nobody will bother your business.
The mechanics of protection.
The way they do this is through their connection with politics. Often, a gang’s political connections also belong to their same ethnicity. In the Twenties, many politicians were originally from an immigrated family and at the time generations were still new enough that the bond with the original culture was still very strong. Politicians were expected to help their original community, and their original community was expected to help him.
This was true for gangs, as well. Because gangs were usually very wealthy, they were expected to give back a part of their wealth. In fact, they were normally benefactors of their own community, which cemented the relationship between the community, the gang, and the politician.
If you think this sounds like a complex situation, you’re not mistaken. Actually, you may want to reconsider whether you want to get stuck in the middle of this mess. Just saying.
So the gang will pay the politician with the protection money they got from you and the politician will keep things calm on the gang’s turf. But sometimes, the politician will pay the gang to ensure they will put their community’s support behind the right politician. Be prepared to respond to this. By the way, this works equally well with politicians who don’t belong to the same community as the gang, because, you know, money speaks everyone’s language.
So the moment you pay the gang’s booze, you’re stuck in this mechanism. Any strange move on your part may be considered betrayal by the gang – on many levels. And if there’s one thing you definitely don’t want, it’s a gangster who’s upset with you.
But after you go through all this, you’re all set, right? Uh…not quite.
There are all sorts of other people who could damage your business. The cop on the beat is only one person you will bribe. Prohibition agents who may walk into your speakeasy, same thing. Deliverymen of anything other than alcohol might want an encouragement to forget what they see going on in your place.
For any number of reasons, your establishment may get raided and padlocked in spite of everything you did. True, you only need to go to court, bribe someone, and soon you’ll be back in your business in the same place or in a new location, but that’s still more expense. But then I warned you, didn’t I? Running a speakeasy is a profitable venture, but very expensive and even more dangerous.
You might want to consider just writing about it. Maybe not as good for your pocket, but way safer for your health.
And I promise, I’ll be your first reader!
Connect with Sarah on her blog: www.theoldshelter.com
Or visit her website: https://sarahzama.wordpress.com/
You can also find her on:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/JazzFeathers
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jazzfeathers
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jazzfeathers/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Theoldshelterdieselpunk
Pinterest: https://it.pinterest.com/jazzfeathers/
Keep watch for Get Into the Feeling HERE.
If you enjoyed this post, please share. Thank you!
Sue Coletta
Sue Coletta is an award-winning crime writer and an active member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. Feedspot and Expertido.org named her Murder Blog as “Best 100 Crime Blogs on the Net.” She also blogs on the Kill Zone (Writer's Digest "101 Best Websites for Writers"), Writers Helping Writers, and StoryEmpire. Sue lives with her husband in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Her backlist includes psychological thrillers, the Mayhem Series (books 1-3) and Grafton County Series, and true crime/narrative nonfiction. Now, she exclusively writes eco-thrillers, Mayhem Series (books 4-9 and continuing). Sue's appeared on the Emmy award-winning true crime series, Storm of Suspicion, and three episodes of A Time to Kill on Investigation Discovery. When she's not writing, she loves spending time with her murder of crows, who live free but come when called by name. And nature feeds her soul.
45 Comments
Nicholas C. Rossis
Great post. Still, it saddens me how easy it is to substitute alcohol with drugs, and realize that nothing’s really changed.
Nicholas C. Rossis recently posted…Updates on Amazon Giveaways and Vanishing Reviews
Sue Coletta
It is sad; you’re right.
JazzFeathers
Hi Nicholas. Thanks for reading 🙂
With Prohibition, the problem was people didn’t want to look at the true core of the problem. I wonder whether with drugs is the same thing…
JazzFeathers recently posted…“Give in to the Feeling” goes live!
Book Club Mom
What a great explanation of the speakeasy business and a look into how much preparation and research goes into writing a book.
Sue Coletta
I thought so too, “Mom.” So glad you enjoyed the post. Sarah really knows her stuff.
JazzFeathers
Happy you liked it “Mom” 😉
Well, researching a novel is a lot of work (Sue knows about that 🙂 ) but it’s also great fun. We learn so many things. In fact, I consider the research I did on this story as a great expereince in itself, something that has enriched me.
JazzFeathers recently posted…Surabaya Johnny – The sound of the 1920s Berliner Kabaret
Mae Clair
A most informative article. I find the prohibition era particularly interesting especially when an author approaches it from a historical angle rather than a romanticized one. Thanks for sharing this!
JazzFeathers
And thanks for the nice words, Mae. I tried my best to depict the era as accurately as possible. I think we can learn a lot from history, but only if we respect it. Romantization has its place, but I don’t think it gets along very nicely with history 😉
Sue Coletta
I agree, Mae.
Andrè M. Pietroschek
While I am harshly an informed speakeasy veteran I DID enjoy reading this article nonetheless.
Mobsters served as standard goons in our Call of Cthulhu and Trail of Cthulhu Roleplaying Sessions…
Thanks Sarah & Sue!!!
JazzFeathers
The appreciation of an actual informed speakeasy veteran is particularly meanigful for me 🙂
Thanks for commenting Andrè.
Sue Coletta
You bet, Andre! Have an awesome week!!
Andrè M. Pietroschek
Speakeasy Inspiration 1:
True Love comes like a gangsters dynamite
which tends to really blow your world apart
I wanna be remembered as a mobster, honey
A Capo of the Mafia AND your loving Heart
Speakeasy Inspiration 2:
Booze keeps stolen trucks rolling through the night
May no tommy-gun tear us apart, oh sweetest wife
Hellbent on flair and profit, for such is our delight
In marriage and in the Mafia, we are in for all life!
And I would hope to be a small-town pawnshop owner who sells some guns to ensure the kids see their college… OK, the kids are not even sired and the wife not even met, but in theory any good father has to take care, y’know?
Sue Coletta
LOL Loved the poems, Andre.
Andrè M. Pietroschek
Thanks.
June Lorraine Roberts
It’s important to see beyond our romanticized versions of a time and place to a stark reality. Won’t people be doing that about the times we live in now? Certainly!
Great article, thanks.
June Lorraine Roberts recently posted…Paul Cleave: Cemetery Lake
JazzFeathers
You’re certainly right, June. But I think it will be very difficult to romanticise our times. There is way too much ‘evidence’ of what we really are 😉
Sue Coletta
I agree, June. 😀
Susan Nicholls
This was so cool. I had speakeasy pubs in my Georgia historic novel, where the bootlegger brother of Moses got busted with his mule back in the twenties. He never saw them again. Thanks for sharing Sue. It’s always nice to get a feel for the period pieces…lots of crime in the past, too.
Sue Coletta
I didn’t realize that, Susan. Very cool!
JazzFeathers
Susan, is your story set in the 1920s too? I must check it out!!!
Susan Nicholls
No, it is set in the 1950s, but Moses told Hannah, the nurse (in the early 1990s) about how life was when he was growing up in and around Atlanta and how he became the good doctor’s handyman. The good doctor put Moses’ son through medical school.
Sue Coletta
I have an unrelated question for you, Susan. When writing Intensive Care Unit, shouldn’t it be capitalized since it’s the title of a department?
JazzFeathers
Sue, I’m so excited to be your guest! Thanks so much fo rhaving me 🙂
JazzFeathers recently posted…I should have known better than to think my will alone would shape my life – Michael (Characters Speak Series)
Sue Coletta
My pleasure, Sarah. The post is really great. Thank YOU. 😀
JazzFeathers
To be honest, it was such fun to write! I’m happy you like it.
Mari Dunning
Love this! The 1920s is one of my favourite eras – very insightful article <3
Sue Coletta
Glad you enjoyed it, Mari!
JazzFeathers
Happy you liked it, Mari.
The 1920s are indeed a very fascinating era, and sure an exciting one 😉
JazzFeathers recently posted…I should have known better than to think my will alone would shape my life – Michael (Characters Speak Series)
Garry Rodgers
Great & fun article, Sarah & Sue!
During my policing career, we’d run across these speakeasies from time to time. They were called “after-hours clubs” or “booze-cans” and were quite the public nuisance due to the clientele, location, and shenanigans.
We once kicked a booze can in and found two of our own police officers inside, pissed as rats. It was funny and embarrassing at the same time. I’m sworn to secrecy as to who they were 🙂
Garry Rodgers recently posted…HOW TO GET PUBLISHED ON THE HUFFINGTON POST
Sue Coletta
LOL What happens in the speakeasy, stays in the speakeasy. 😀
JazzFeathers
Hey, I suppose that happened quite often in the 1920s, eh? 😉
But when did this happen? Why there would be speakeasies outside of Prohibition? (sorry, I live on the other side of the world, you know?)
Sue Coletta
Garry’s not that old. LOL I’m sure he means modern-day speakeasies that popped up during his career as a detective.
Margot Kinberg
This is really fascinating!! And it’s a really helpful reminder that it’s easy to be really idealistic about the past (oh, those Roaring Twenties, with flappers, jazz music and all the rest!). But the reality was often a lot more grim.
Sue Coletta
Apparently so, Margot. Honestly, before this guest post I knew very little about the era. Which made it really fun for me.
JazzFeathers
You are absolutely right, Margot.
I’m aware of the romantic idea many people (not to mention many readers) have about the Twenties, particularly about flappers, but I’m trying to give as realistic a picture as I can in my stories. I truly believe history is far more interesting than any romantic idea about it.
Sue Coletta
I agree.
Roland Clarke
Great news about the imminent release, Sarah. Been anticipating the novel for a long time. May the book sell like great wine… or hot cakes.
Sue Coletta
My sentiments exactly, Roland.
JazzFeathers
LOL! Thanks to both, guys. I sure hope the same 😉
Craig
Very cool. My great grandfather was a notorious moonshiner.
Sue Coletta
Really? How fascinating. I bet he had some stories to tell.
JazzFeathers
Cool!!! Any first-hand story you feel like sharing? 🙂
Craig
Well, unfortunately, he was killed in one of these establishments after prohibition was repealed. I never got to meet the man, but I knew his wife as a small child. Nobody was ever arrested or charged in his case, and the files are long since gone. (I’ve looked.)
Sue Coletta
Oh, I’m so sorry, Craig. It must be difficult, especially with no way to know exactly what happened.