St. Michael's Alley was founded in 1959 by Vernon Gates. It was the first coffee house on the peninsula and was named for the the alley in London which is home to its first coffeehouse, founded in 1652. St. Mike's bohemian atmosphere attracted many from the beatnick era and helped launch the careers of famous musicians and writers including the Grateful Dead, Joan Baez, Grayce Slick, Ken Kesey, Robert Hunter, and Jefferson Airplane.
https://www.stmikes.com/