You’ve probably heard a few things about The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. (112 S. 18th St., 215-569-1160, thefranklinbar.com), which is taking over the former Bar Noir. And this is probably the most ludicrous: You’ll need a password to get in. (More than a few people have asked us for the scoop on this, Philly-brand NIMBYism prematurely enflamed.) Listen: It ain’t true. This rumor seems to stem from the fact that folks from Proprietors LLC are consulting on both the interior and the drink program — that design firm is run by David Kaplan, co-owner of the East Village’s cocktail-forward speakeasy Death & Co. But that’s dumb too, as D&C doesn’t require surreptitous sippers to drop a password at a door.

“Let me just dispel that rumor right here,” says The Franklin manager Mike Welsh. “We’re not taking a snobby approach at all. There are certainly elements of mystery and the unknown that make it sort of sexy … but operationally, we will not have a doorman picking names at the door. There will be no password.”

Enough erroneous whispers, Philly. Here’s some real info on the bar, which will soft-open to the public this coming Thursday, June 18.

- The name’s a nod to the business name mobster Max “Boo Boo” Hoff used to veil his bootlegging business during Prohibition.

- Interior has room for about 50, designed “in an effort to make it feel like it’s been there for 100 years,” says Welsh. That means wood ceilings, faux finishes, custom-built bar adornments and a marble drink rail.

- The cocktail list, envisioned by consulting bartenders Alexander Day and Joaquin Simo, will consist of between 15 and 20 drinks. Welsh says they want to keep details under wraps until the opening, but expect the approach to reside somewhere in the middle ground between super-mod and super-throwback. (We know that barkeeps from APO and James are on board.) There will be a handful of bottled beers and wines, as well.

- No menu, but they’re got a partnership going with Di Bruno’s to provide eats for private events.

- Death & Co adheres to a specific head count policy: If there’s no physical seat for you, you have to wait till someone leaves to get in. The Franklin won’t take this approach, but since the space is small, they’ll be very conscious of overcrowding.

- After Thursday’s soft-open, they’ll be free and clear some nights, but closed intermittently for private receptions. Once that’s all through, though (by the week of June 28), they’ll pour daily from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

No password necessary: The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. opens Thursday

This entry was posted on Monday, June 15th, 2009 at 9:00 am and is filed under Booze, Openings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.