Tell Your Story at Steel City

Eli Wenger wants to hear your story.

Wenger, the owner of Steel City Coffee Shop, has started a monthly story slam out of his Bridge Street space. The open mic—named the Ron Tompkins Story Slam after Steel City regular, and enthusiastic event participant, "The Don" Ron Tompkins—is held the first Wednesday of every month.

At each slam, the speakers take the stage and share a story related to the event's theme. (In April, the theme was "first times." On May 1, the next slam, the topic is "rebirth.") There are only three rules: the speaker can't use notes, can only talk for between five and seven minutes, and their story has to be true.

"You just go up and tell your story," Wenger said, adding that, so far, the speakers' ability levels have proven to be as varied as their experiences.

"Some pople are not necesarilly great story tellers but tell a great story. Some people you can tell they've practiced. [But] in this kind of environment it's very casual."

By way of example, he pointed to the event's namessake.

"At the April slam, [Tompkins] talked about the first time he met a member of the Phillies. He said he went back to Phillies' dressing rom as a little kid. He snuck in and tried to get autographs, and this guy kicked him out. Actually kicked him on the rear on the way out. Ron looked at him and said, "You'll never amount to anything." The guy was Richie Ashburn."

"They're just a lot of fun," Wenger said. "There's something very intimate about it."

At each of the four story slams Steel City has hosted so far, about 10-15 people have read, though Wenger said he expects to see that number rise as word gets out about the event, adding that "If we start getting a good crowd, we'll totally offer a prize."

The readings run from 7:30 p.m. to approximately 10:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month.

All are welcome. "Everyone has a story," Wenger said.