The Venice Beats

The term "Venice West" was coined by Lawrence Lipton, author of "The Holy Barbarians," to describe the Venice Beats.

The first coffee house was called "The Gas House," and was on Ocean Front Walk at Market Street.

The 2nd coffeehouse was the "Venice West," at 7 Dudley Ave. It was started by one of the greatest Beat Poets, Stuart Z Perkoff.

When he got tired of the coffeehouse, he sold it to John Keravan, another poet and artist. Kervan, in turn, passed it on to John and Anna Haag. They fought a free speech battle against the city of L.A., and won.|

Venice was one of three centers of Beat culture amd poetry, which included San Francisco's North Beach and Greenwich Village. Many people believe Venice was the best.
-Jim Smith

Abbot Kinney, founder of Venice

Rick Davidson Speaks

The Arthur Reese - Rick Davidson low income housing facility won final approval from the L.A. bureaucracy, Dec. 1. It will provide 68 units for homeless people, 34 for low-income artists and 34 for other low-income people.

Rick Davidson was a Venice architech and leader of the Free Venice organization and Peace & Freedom Party.

Here's what he had to say in1989.