Brooklyn Moon Cafe

1995 - 2024?

Brooklyn Moon Cafe was founded in 1995 by neighborhood resident Mike Thompson. Thompson felt like the neighborhood needed a social gathering space, so he opened the cafe and started poetry open mic nights to encourage people to visit. When Fort Greene residents showed up to a one-year anniversary party during a snowstorm, he knew the Cafe was a critical part of the community. The Cafe eventually became a restaurant where he served Bajan food from his home of Barbados. It was an important location for black artists during the Black Brooklyn Renaissance of the late 1990’s. Creatives could come do comedy shows, post their art on the walls, or play music. Artists like Erykah Badu and Chris Rock visited the Cafe. Due to pandemic finance issues, as of mid-2024 the restaurant is closed.

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Details

Category
Other
Audience
Adults
Founder(s)
Mike Thompson, neighborhood resident
Tags
arts, community

Location

  • 745 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11217, USA
    1995 - 2024?

References

  1. Paragas, Diane and Nelson George, dir. Brooklyn Boheme. New York, NY: The Cinema Guild, 2011. https://video.alexanderstreet.com/watch/brooklyn-boheme.
  2. Upadhye, Janet. “Poetry Cafe Turned Comedy Club Celebrates 20 Years in Fort Greene.” DNAinfo, January 15, 2015. https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20150115/fort-greene/poetry-cafe-turned-comedy-club-celebrates-20-years-fort-greene/
  3. Laterman, Kaya. “Local Stars Come Out to Shine For Iconic Brooklyn Moon Cafe.” BKReader, Apr 3, 2024. https://www.bkreader.com/featured-news/this-you-cant-miss-local-stars-come-out-to-help-save-iconic-brooklyn-moon-cafe-8545280