Cornelia Street Cafe

The Cornelia Street Cafe opened on July 4, 1977, exactly 201 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Three artists named Robin Hirsch, Charles McKenna, and Raphaela Pivetta founded the space in a former antique shop. They personally scraped, sanded, and plumbed the storefront to transform it into a venue for local artists. In its earliest days, the operation was so modest it consisted of little more than a cappuccino machine and a toaster oven. Despite those humble origins, it grew into a vital cultural hub that produced hundreds of shows annually across every conceivable genre.