The First Kiosk of Tel Aviv

IsraelTel Aviv

Tel Aviv's first kiosk was established in 1910 at the intersection of Rothschild boulevard and Herzl street, near the home of the legendary first mayor Meir Dizengoff. The kiosk was designed by the architect Joseph Barsky, who was also one of the designers of the Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium, in a hexagonal shape. It was built of wood and its roof was made of metal.

The kiosk was established on the initiative of Akiva Weiss, one of the founders of the Ahuzat Beit neighborhood that later became Tel Aviv, and its first tenant was a man named Kisilov. The construction of the kiosk initially raised opposition among the small neighborhood committee that wanted to prohibit the opening of businesses inside it, and was finally approved on the condition that only soft drinks be sold there in the first stage. Only then did the kiosk get permission to also sell liquor.

The first kiosk, the progenitor of the numerous restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Tel Aviv nowadays, became a recognized and well-known landmark in the young city and a central meeting place for its residents. The city's first light post was built right next to it. The residents would come to watch the miracle of the lighting of the lantern in the evening, and take the opportunity to drink a soda at the nearby kiosk. The corner of Rothschild and Herzl streets became the hottest and most prestigious location in the city.

The establishment of the first kiosk is an important landmark in the social and cultural development of Tel Aviv, the city that never sleeps. In 1989 the kiosk was completely demolished, but it was restored and rebuilt in the exact same location in 2004.

(Anecdote authored by: עמיר)

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