The Neutral Grounds Coffeehouse is closing this week

Friends,

It is with the heaviest of hearts that I am sharing with you the closing of one of the great institutions of New Orleans: The Neutral Grounds Coffeehouse. It was announced several weeks ago, but I hoped against hope that we could awaken from the nightmare of its impending closure. There will be a goodbye festival on Saturday on the batture by the parish line, and this Thursday, the house will host its last every poetry and pajama party at the Danneel Street location, starting at 9.

Uncle first introduced me to The Neutral Grounds in the Autumn of 1997. I was still a boy and quite awkward, even though I had a promising volleyball career that was soon to be cut short on a fateful trip to Central Grocery. Uncle knew I enjoyed reading and writing. He had read several of my short stories.

"You like telling stories, don't you, TulaneLSU?"

"Yes, I do."

Uncle continued, "There is a community of musicians and storytellers that gather most nights at a little house next to Newman. I think you would enjoy telling your stories to them."

That was the birth of a several month run in the late 90s of me sharing with others my stories. I wouldn't call myself a regular story teller, but I did read my stories to whomever would listen for a night every other week during the summer of '98.

I was invited back by my listeners for the summer of 1999. During the winter and spring, I prepared a volume titled "Prolegomena to the Gramaunger of Western Civilization." In it, I hoped to explain through personal stories how Western Civilization could be saved by personal virtue, repudiation of sin, and the hope for human family.

The summer readings were going splendidly. The crowds grew from five or six to ten. By mid August, I felt I was nearing my goal. Unfortunately, that was about the time Tulane's semester commenced. A group of university students entered on a muggy evening. After I was fifteen minutes into the chapter titled "Mother is the most beautiful word," a discourse on how I pictured Mother treating me in her womb, they began heckling me. What they said was too nefandous for this site. They were thrown out, but the damage to my spirit was done.

I finished drinking my cup of tea and left, never to read in public again, save for Bible readings at church. Nonetheless, I was for years of my youth and college days a regular at The Neutral Grounds, for its strict prohibition of that deadly drug alcohol always ensured a level of safety and friendliness missing at most public establishments.

The Neutral Grounds exists because its founders believe "there should be some common ground somewhere, after all, where free spirits can gather and not seem peculiar and out of the way." And that it has been for 40 years. Truly, New Orleans is, if only briefly, losing one of its most significant and important community centers. I wish them well in finding a new location soon.

Yours,
TulaneLSU

P.S. Quoted is the Neutral Grounds announcement:

quote:

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To all our friends, our lovers, our gentlefolk; to all our musicians, our patrons, our community:

It is with heavy heart that we must announce the building has officially been sold. The Neutral Ground Coffeehouse has lost its lease. After more than 40 years in our current location, we must vacate the premise no later than May 1st. We had hoped to have more time, but April holds our final days at Danneel Street.

It is a cold and very broken Hallelujah.

But as we stand here before the Lord of song, this is a kind of victory march.

Real Estate is an odd game. We thought we had found a beautiful place that would serve us well, but as we scrambled to find financing, it went under contract to someone else. Phant and I have looked at numerous locations. There are a few that were affordable, yet not where our community could find us. We found one that had great potential, yet again sold as our ducks were slow to arrange themselves.

We believe we have found a potential home, though it is many months from nurturing us. The owner of the building is a musician; they are a friend of the coffeehouse, and are working with us. There are numerous issues standing in the way (zoning, neighborhood, permits) that are surmountable, but time engaging.

In the meantime, we have another saint of the coffeehouse that has offered to host our Sunday Night Open Mic Nights. Our community will remain alive.
These are all in the works. We are hopeful.

Ahh how does it feel, to be on our own. With no direction home. Like a rolling stone.

You, our community, have been more than generous; you have been unselfish in your generosity. Phant and I are overwhelmed by the love. We are beholden to you to continue the Coffeehouse. The Coffeehouse is obliged to continue. Even if the above location falls through, we will carry on. The Coffeehouse has moved once before, and through the love of others has survived. The Coffeehouse is more than any one of us, and through such love will return.

Pack up your sorrows and give them all to me. You will lose them, I know how to use them.

On April 22nd, we are holding a fund-raiser for the Neutral Ground Coffeehouse. We wish for all to come. Follow our site for details - it will be an all day affair. A festival outside of the coffeehouse - on the levee overlooking the river. All please come. Details to follow. Watch this site for more info.
We ask you to continue to keep the Neutral Ground Coffeehouse alive.

It is but a phoenix; killing itself, to return as witness. Spirit, Fire, Water. A living state, it dies, and yet rises again. Her ashes new create another heir.

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