My Brother's Bar

On my first night in Denver, DD and Audie took me out to My Brother's Bar, the oldest bar in Denver, which is also known for its Beat Generation patrons. Neal Cassady's older brother Jack worked there when it was Paul's Place in the 1940s.

Here is an excerpt from a letter that Neal Cassady wrote to his friend Justin Brierly from juvenile hall:

Dear Justin

At the corner of 15th & Platte streets there's a cafe called Paul's Place, where my brother Jack used to be bartender before he joined the army, because of this I frequented the place occasionally & consequently have a small bill run up, I believe I owe them about 3 or 4 dollars. If you happen to be in that vicinity please drop in & pay it, will you?

In Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, Neal Cassady is portrayed as Dean Moriarty; Justin Brierly appears as Denver B. Doll. Jack Kerouac was also a patron of Paul’s Place.

My Brother’s Bar plays only classical music for historic reasons. The first bartenders working under the current name (1970) also worked for Denver’s classical music station and their influence shaped the bar’s music policy. The bar is also known for its jalapeno cheeseburger.

DD, Audie and I sat outside in the garden, it was lovely.

This post is for Jarda, who loved the Beat poets and wrote his master’s thesis on the works of Jack Kerouac.