Coffeehouses allowed all aspects of culture to intermingle; and folks could bring their highly opinionated discussions and debates – in which all were welcome to participate.
In China, teahouses served a similar purpose, offering patrons a destination at which they could comingle and enjoy the work of local artists and literati. Often, musicians would come to share their work and to play music with one another in a community setting.
Given these original roots of modern coffeehouses, it's no surprise that, here in America, they have since evolved into havens of discussion, literary discourse, poetry, and, of course, folk music.
More often than not, coffeehouses host some sort of live acoustic music performer and/or an open mic night. This happens so often, in fact, that coffeehouses have almost become synonymous with American Folk Music. Many of the Unitarian Universalist Churches that host folk musicians often refer to their folk music concert series as "coffeehouses."
These Unitarian church coffeehouses often take place in the church chapel or sanctuary, and the churches will usually offer coffee, tea, and other snacks for their patrons.
