Peabody Bookshop and Beer Stube

Peabody Bookshop and Beer Stube was a combined establishment on North Charles Street in Baltimore that sold books on the ground floor and housed a beer cellar downstairs with wooden tables, mounted animal heads on the walls, and a piano. A second bar was later added to the upper floor to accommodate more guests.

The bookshop was founded in 1922 by two Austrian brothers and the beer cellar section was added after Prohibition ended in 1933. This combination created a popular gathering place for books and socializing.

The space hosted regular evening events where magicians performed, poets read their work, and musicians played while guests gathered around shared tables. This drew people who enjoyed literature and live entertainment.

The location was divided into separate areas so visitors could choose between browsing books or drinking beer depending on their preference. Those who wanted both could easily move between the two activities.

Guests scratched their names into the wooden tables, a practice that preserved memories of their visits for years to come. Notable figures like writer H.L. Mencken visited to discuss literature while eating German sausages.

GPS coordinates: 39.30030,-76.61555

Latest update: December 13, 2025 11:46