THE COFFEE CULTURE AT THE RAVEN; COFFEE HOUSE NAMED FOR POEM CREATES COMFORTABLE ATMOSPHER

Jason Buterin poured a cup of the Raven's specialty coffee. All flavors and types of coffee bean concoctions are available.

With mismatched couches, chairs, recliners and an occasional bean bag chair scattered around the dimly-lit room, the furniture at The Raven looks like it came from the "Early American Garage Sale" period, but the atmosphere is definitely "Modern Comfort."

Even owner Scott Black says the coffee house looks like it could be someone's living room. That's probably because most of the furniture was once part of his living room.

Black also chose all the photos and posters that partially line the walls. A collage composed of magazine cutouts and posters of Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, John Lennon and Frank Zappa lines a paneled wall. Drawings of a raven and paintings by local artists fill the remaining space. All are for sale.

There's a television set in the corner that shows only snowy static in the dim fluorescent glow of smoky light, except on "Classic Movie" nights when flicks starring The Three Stooges are shown.

Some of the regulars sit around a table playing Monopoly while others sip coffee and ponder their moves in a chess game in the back corner. The size of the crowd varies depending on the night's activities -- open mike and percussion nights draw some of the largest crowds. Live bands play each weekend.

"Chemical Billy" is a local band popular with high school students. Black described its songs as 30 seconds of screaming. Despite his personal distaste, the band draws hundreds of high school students, he said.

Three different bands will play both nights this weekend. Taco Joint Rape, Rumfelt and Moondogs will play Friday night and Sinclair, Connecticut and Mundain play Saturday night at the coffee house.

Even though it's been open for only two months, the coffee house at 731 Broadway has become a gathering place for a regular crowd of artists.

"It's more a sense of belonging," Jason Kesterson, 21, said of the atmosphere. "We're on the same wavelength."

Artists interested in poetry and music can get together at The Raven and talk or just hang out, he said. "There's no other place to go."

Marsha Bollinger, 20, agreed.

The Raven, open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily, is a place where everyone is comfortable and not criticized for sharing their work, she said, adding that she usually comes just to hang out.

But stimulating conversations and great coffee aren't the only attractions. Many artists share original work during the open mike and poetry-reading nights.

The age of the crowd varies depending on the theme for the night. Open mike night draws the college crowd usually while poetry night attracts anyone from 15 to 40. Since bands play most weekend, they tend to attract more high school students.

Although he occasionally mingles with the crowd, Black usually can be found behind the bar, which is one of the few in the city were no alcohol is served. But that doesn't deter the crowd.

"I would lose three-fourths of the regulars if I turned it into a bar," he said. Since most first-time customers think it is a bar, they attempt to order a beer and are quickly disappointed. From those orders, Black said he's learned that Coors Light must be the most popular beer in town.

Jason Buterin was just hanging out at The Raven until they needed help serving one night. Then he became an employee.

"I'm not in a fraternity and I don't drink or do drugs and I'm a musician, so this is the place for me," Buterin said.

Black, an on-again, off-again English student, also hopes it's a place for any local artist. "I'd like everybody to be an artist," he said. "I'd put their art up on the walls. They need a place where they can express how they feel."