Biographical Note
Lena Spencer (born Pasqualina Rosa Nargi, on January 4, 1923) owned and operated Caffè Lena from its inception in 1960 until her untimely death in 1989. Before she co-founded Caffè Lena in 1960 with her then-husband Bill Spencer, she gained experience that would bear fruit during her long years at Caffè Lena as both owner and jack of all trades: she waited tables at her father's Italian restaurant, performed with an amateur theater group, and worked at a radio station. Over the years she built a reputation for the Caffè as the place for serious folk artists to play. The Caffè had a loyal following over the years, who periodically helped raise funds to keep the business open. Despite her passing, the Caffè has continued to be a destination venue for folk music artists and fans of folk music: "good folk since 1960."