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Records. Coffee. Beer. Three things that have brought more people together than Democrats and Republicans combined. Thanks to the owners of the East Village’s Hopscotch (formerly alt.coffee) and The Library, all can be found in one cheery, two-floor space on the Ludlow strip. The bright orange, faux-wood-paneled front pastry café recalls Amsterdam minus the weed. But who needs to be high to appreciate banana cream pie, named after the Velvet Underground? The back room houses a small but gem-filled vinyl collection where a Wham! single can be found among rare soul and killer indie. A mint-chip colored stairway leads down to a musty, dark lair with a full-service bar and a large church pew, pleather cubes and a row of old theater chairs for seating. A small stage hosts occasional spoken word performances, film screenings and various garage, punk, metal and art-rock bands most nights, followed by DJs spinning ska, hardcore and new wave (among other genres). — Andrew Paine Bradbury

The bar starts serving daily at 5 p.m.

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