▁built ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁during ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Pro hib ition ▁era . ▁When ▁the ▁hotel ▁was ▁rem ode led ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁workers ▁found ▁a ▁secret ▁door ▁in ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁pent house ▁ball rooms , ▁which ▁leads ▁to ▁a ▁st air way ▁down ▁to ▁ground ▁level . ▁This ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁used ▁to ▁help ▁people ▁eng aging ▁in ▁illegal ▁g amb ling ▁or ▁drink ing ▁to ▁escape ▁in ▁the ▁event ▁of ▁a ▁police ▁ra id . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Pro hib ition ▁era , ▁illegal ▁bars , ▁called ▁" spe ake as ies ", ▁were ▁often ▁conce aled ▁behind , ▁above ▁or ▁below ▁seem ingly ▁legit imate ▁business es ▁designed ▁specifically ▁for ▁ill ic it ▁boot leg ging ▁activities . ▁In ▁Dec atur , ▁Illinois , ▁the ▁third ▁floor ▁of ▁Bell ' s ▁Jew el ry ▁Store ▁hous ed ▁a ▁spe ake asy , ▁a ▁g amb ling ▁den ▁and ▁a ▁bro th el , ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 0 s . ▁Custom ers ▁accessed ▁a ▁st air way ▁from ▁the ▁street ▁and ▁entered ▁a ▁sport ing ▁goods ▁shop ▁that ▁acted ▁as ▁a ▁" front ". ▁After ▁the ▁customers ▁passed ▁through ▁rows ▁of ▁sh el ves ▁l ined ▁with ▁dust y ▁sport ing ▁mer ch and ise , ▁a ▁secret ▁panel ▁in ▁the ▁wall ▁was ▁sl id ▁open ▁reve aling ▁the ▁entrance ▁to ▁the ▁spe ake