The London Coffee House
The London Coffee House opened in April 1754 at the southwest corner of Front and High (now Market) streets in a three-and-a-half-story brick building built as a private residence in 1702. Its most noticeable feature was its roof, with two high-pitched hipped gables intersecting at right angles. The first floor held the bar and a large public room where British and American newspapers were available. The upstairs held smaller rooms for private meetings.Thanks to its corporate sponsorship and a location near the docks and market, the London Coffee Shop quickly became the city’s commercial and financial exchange. Crops, carriages, horses, houses, and human beings were bought and sold under the shelter of its wide, wraparound awning.