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A blind pig, also known as a blind tiger, is an establishment that illegally provides alcoholic beverages.
The name originated in the United States in the 1800s, when blue laws restricted the sale of alcoholic beverages. A saloonkeeper would charge customers to see an atrraction (such as an animal), and provide a "complimentary" alcoholic beverage, thus circumventing the law.
It was during the years of prohibition that blind pigs were most common in the US. Estimates of the number of blind pigs in some major US cities in the mid-1920s are:
- Chicago, Illinois: 10,000
- Detroit, Michigan: 15,000
- New York, New York: 30,000-100,000
The blind pig is a classic example of black market economics, and with the end of prohibition in 1933 most blind pigs had to either become legitimate establishments or close shop. Common current examples of the blind pig include the after hours club and the keg party.
The term Blind Pig was referenced in 1976 when it became the name of a record label. Blind Pig Records is based out of San Francisco, California and primarily records blues artists such as Snooky Pryor, Luther Allison, Tommy Castro, Coco Montoya, Jimmy Thackery and Chubby Carrier.
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