Essenza Coffeehouse
From AZPoetrypedia
Contents |
Location(s) and Dates Active in Poetry
1 location at 1350 S Longmore, Mesa, AZ (1993-2008) Active in Poetry from 1994-2008
Prominent Arizona Spoken Word Venue, 1994-2008
Events Hosted
Essenzaslam Poetry Slam, 1994-2008
Mesa National Poetry Slamoff, 1996-2003, 2008
Cactus Regional Slam, 2002
Inkzilla Literary Magazine Festival, 2002
Seven Days of Halloween, 2002
Valentine's Day Massicree, 2006
History
While certainly not the first poetry slam in Phoenix, Essenza Coffeehouse played host to the longest running single poetry slam in the Southwest. Founded in 1993 by entrepeneurs Brian Gilbert and Annie Gilbert, the location was the first Coffeehouse in Mesa, and rode on the crest of the "Coffee House Craze" of the 1990's
In addition to poetry, the venue was also home for some time to the premier music open mic in the valley on Tuesday nights, and for many years the music and poetry nights provided a vibrant, active community in the west Mesa neighborhood.
In 2000, the coffeehouse was sold, combined with deterioration of the neighborhood, began a long steady decline in business. The business would be sold twice more after that, and a series of poor business decisions eventually lead to the decline of the core business beyond repair.
The legacy of Essenza Coffeehouse lies in the people that called it hom at various points in their lives. Poets like Dave Tabor, Bill Campana and others helped to provide a personification to the poetry movement that squarely held Essenza as it's root.
The venue closed (for the 3rd and final time) June 30th, 2008, unceremoniously.
