Liquor and the Press Go Hand in Hand

By Nikki Schwab, Washington Whispers.

The repeal of Prohibition turned 75 this month and, lo and behold, there's a story about it involving reporters. National Press Club President Sylvia Smith reveals that the club was founded by scribes who wanted a watering hole to gather at each night after bars closed. What's surprising is that the bar stayed in business, considering its low-wage clientele. "The storyline goes that the press club has stayed in business for 100 years because they decided early on not to allow reporters to run up a tab," Smith says. And guess which bar was the first to win its liquor license back when Prohibition ended? Yup, the press club.