Before the Roaring Twenties and the infamous Prohibition era, America had a different kind of illicit drinking establishment: the Raines Law Room. Born from the 1896 Raines Law in New York, these saloons found a loophole to stay afloat amidst restrictive alcohol regulations. The law heavily taxed alcohol sales, but cleverly exempted hotels.
Crafty bar owners quickly transformed their establishments into “hotels” by adding at least ten bedrooms (often tiny and barely functional). These “Raines Law Hotels” could then legally serve alcohol on Sundays and to minors – provided they also offered a meal. What resulted were often farcical attempts at lodging, with stale sandwiches served alongside stiff drinks.
While the law intended to curb alcohol consumption, it ironically spurred creativity (and deception) in the bar industry, paving the way for the elaborate speakeasies of the later Prohibition era. So, the next time you're enjoying a craft cocktail in a dimly lit bar, remember the Raines Law Rooms – the quirky ancestors of today's hidden gems.
