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| Location | 85 E. 4th Street, East Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States |
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| Coordinates | 40°43′36″N73°59′24″W / 40.726580°N 73.989923°W |
| Type | Bar |
| Opened | 1993 |
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| Official website | |
KGB is a Soviet era-themed ("Communist chic" [1] ) bar located in the East Village of New York City at 85 E. 4th Street, New York, New York 10003.
Before its present incarnation, the building had been the Palm Casino, a speakeasy controlled by Lucky Luciano. From 1948 to 1988 it was a private social club for communists and socialists. [2] On the bar's walls are "Stalinist woodcuts, World War II posters, a picture of Valentina V. Tereshkova, hammer-and-sickle flags and the odd Lenin bust and balalaika." [3] [4]
Inspired by the Soviet-era memorabilia stored in the building, [5] KGB Bar opened in 1993, [6] and became one of the most popular book-reading venues in New York City. [2] Popular authors read here pro bono on Sunday evenings (fiction), Monday evenings (poetry), and most Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. [7] KGB has been named best literary venue in New York City by New York magazine[ citation needed ], The Village Voice [ citation needed ], and others. [3]
The bar hosts several regular reading series which include:
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