The Origin of Speakeasies: Why were they called Blind Pigs?

Speakeasies were covert bars that grew popular in the United States during the Prohibition era, when the sale, production, and transportation of alcohol were all outlawed. Because people had to talk quietly about these shady businesses to avoid getting caught by the police, the word “speakeasy” was born. However, the phrase “blind pig” was also used to describe similar covert drinking dens, particularly in the Midwest and the West Coast.

What makes speakeasies known as “blind pigs” then? Several ideas have been proposed to explain this phrase. According to one hypothesis, the term “blind pig” came from the custom of charging customers to view a live animal, such a pig, that was reportedly on display within the business. This made it possible for the pub to serve alcohol while still meeting legal business requirements. Another explanation holds that the term “blind pig” refers to the habit of serving wine in a basement or back room that was frequently windowless and hence “blind.” To avoid being seen, customers had to enter through a fictitious business, sometimes a butcher shop or a bakery. Regardless of the term’s etymology, bootlegging had a significant role in the development of speakeasies. The unlawful production and sale of alcohol during the Prohibition era is referred to as bootlegging. Due to the prohibition on alcohol, it was challenging for individuals to legally purchase it, which fueled the growth of bootleggers who smuggled alcohol from Canada, the Caribbean, and other nations.

Speakeasies provide the ideal chance for bootleggers to sell their illicit alcohol. The fact that there was such a great demand for alcohol among Americans allowed these underground bars, which were frequently operated by organized crime groups, to prosper. Speakeasies came to represent resistance and defiance against attempts by the state to impose social control.

You can start by making a rustic or pallet bar if you want to design your own speakeasy-style bar. Reclaimed wood can be used to build a rustic bar, and distressed treatments can be added to give it an old appearance. Wooden pallets can be disassembled, sanded, and then put back together in a bar shape to create a pallet bar.

Start by measuring the size of your bar and cutting a piece of plywood to fit if you want to make a plywood bar top. To get a smooth finish, sand the plywood’s edges and surface. The plywood can then be painted or stained to match the other components of your bar.

In conclusion, speakeasies were referred to as “blind pigs” because of their covert operations and different strategies for evading law enforcement. Bootlegging, which developed as a result of the prohibition of alcohol, gave rise to these hidden taverns. You can build your own rustic or pallet bar to add a sense of the Prohibition era to your home since the speakeasy motif is still trendy today.