Dive bar
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The outdoor signage of a dive bar in Los Osos, California — nicknamed “The Marriage Breaker” by local residents.
The term “dive” dates from London in the 19th century, when young men wanted a livelier place in which to spend their afternoons than the gentlemen’s clubs frequented by their fathers. They formed informal clubs, where they gathered to smoke and drink coffee.[citation needed]
The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary indicates that, in the United States in the 1880s, the term referred to an illegal drinking den or other place of ill repute, especially one located in a basement.
In modern times, "dive bars" tend to be less mainstream, the opposite of popular night clubs. A dive bar has a tendency to have a more laid back atmosphere, with less need for a dress code. Frequently, cavalier businessmen open dive bars to appeal to a more casual crowd.
[edit] See also
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