Chumley's Prohibition-era speakeasy lore

Chumley's, historically located at 86 Bedford Street, was a Prohibition-era speakeasy and later a restaurant that became a noted literary hangout for writers and poets. The building's heavy wooden doors and walls marked with signatures have fed local stories about secretive meetings and patrons escaping raids. Greenwich Village folklore includes tales of hidden passages and dramatic escapes tied to Chumley's, though such stories are anecdotal and not fully documented. The site is frequently cited in histories of New York's literary and nightlife culture.