What is the importance of Greenwich Village in the novel, Three-Martini Lunch?

This neighborhood, also known as ‘the Village,’ is located on the west side of southern New York City. It was the cultural center of the beat generation and is characterized as a hipster’s paradise, full of writers, artists, and intellectuals. The majority of the novel takes place in the gritty, smoky taverns, cafes, and apartments of the Village, which stand in contrast to the corporate, commercial towers of Manhattan, where the publishing houses are located.