Pop-Up Bar In Bolivia Is The World’s First Cocaine Distribution Lounge

by Beth Hodgson

We've seen marijuana cafes located in California, but on the other side of the globe there's now a Cocaine Barbar that's the first of its kind and it serves a drug that is surrounded by even more controversy, particularly as unlike marijuana, there is no talk of move towards legalization.

The trend setting bar, Route 36 is located in La Paz, Bolivia, and while it serves appetizers like liquor and beer, the main course is a powdered substance that's still illegal worldwide. Yes, Route 36 is the first bar to serve cocaine, and while this business isn't actually operating under the confines of the law, La Paz and Bolivia in general have a bit of a laisez faire attitude due to political corruption.

The menu varies depending on the type of cocaine available, and so does the price point for each order; but the main course available at this lounge does always come with the same tools of the trade, a blank and empty CD case along with enough straws for the patrons planning to indulge.

To date, Route 36 has been particularly popular amongst student backpackers, and doesn't cater very heavily to the local market, especially since they've adopted a pop-up business structure, regularly moving their location as business owners don't tend to like what the illegal drug distribution lounge next door does for their business.

Via: Guardian

Beth Hodgson
Innovative Businesses Writer
InventorSpot.com

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Comments

Rubbish

Submitted on September 29th, 2009 by Anonymous

The first bar to serve cocaine? You obviously haven't been to New York City, Los Angeles, London, et al. Your breathless wide-eyed reporting (or regurgitating of the Guardian article) betrays your ignorance. Cocaine is indeed a problem, yet the problem stems from use and abuse of the drug in the developed world. Sure, there is cocaine abuse in Bolivia, by Bolivians, but Ruta 36 is (or was) a business set up to service the gringo tourist circuit, not the locals.
To blame this on the corruption of Bolivia in particular and Latin America in general is to ignore the devastatingly voracious appetite of U.S. consumers, which abets and enables the cocaine trade. How, exactly, does all the cocaine get into the U.S. every year? How, exactly, is cocaine available in U.S. cities? I would suggest that just a little bit of corruption and a modicum of laisez faire attitude--not to mention a misguided war on drugs--exist so that the cocaine trade not just exists but thrives in the U.S.
Drug addiction, record levels of incarceration in the U.S., and staggering levels of violence in Latin America are the real consequences of the drug trade and the war on drugs; the relatively innocuous existence of a "drug bar" in La Paz that caters to the traveling rich kids from developed countries is not!

Interesting perspective.

Submitted on September 29th, 2009 by Fashion Finds

Interesting perspective. Certainly cocaine appears in bars in North America, sure. But not served upfront as a main menu item, just like food and drink. My focus here was not upon the war on drugs, addiction or any of those other factors in the US or internationally - I write about unique business ideas and present them as food for though. Whether you agree or disagree, try looking at it in context before you criticise.

Beth Graddon-Hodgson Innovative & Weird Fashions Writer/Innovative Businesses Writer

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But, if you know of a

Submitted on September 29th, 2009 by Fashion Finds

But, if you know of a North American bar that is open about drugs being a big part of their business concept that I'm missing, please do pass them along and I'm be happy to write about them too!

Beth Graddon-Hodgson Innovative & Weird Fashions Writer/Innovative Businesses Writer

http://twitter

But, if you know a....

Submitted on October 8th, 2009 by Anonymous

I'm pretty damn sure they wouldn't be happy about it! That would enforce your original point I guess ;)

Kidda