Bistro a go

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board voted Tuesday to grant a liquor license with conditions to two entrepreneurs who want to open a Mediterranean bistro at the site of the former 10 Spot Tavern, 1601 S. 10th St.

The bistro plans have spurred controversy among neighbors who suffered through crime and related problems at the 10 Spot. Fearing a repeat performance, some residents and merchants tried to defeat the renewal of the property’s liquor license back in November.

When contacted hours after the license had been granted, Sue Montella, president of the Passyunk Square Civic Association, said she did not want to comment until she could obtain and review the LCB’s licensing agreement.

Prior to the license being granted, she said, "We still feel that this is the wrong place for this type of establishment."

Business partners Claude d’Hermillon and Francis Hogan will begin renovating the space and moving toward a possible late-spring opening.

"Obviously, we are thrilled with the news from Harrisburg and are anxious to begin interior renovation, which in all likelihood will take upward of two months to complete," d’Hermillon said yesterday. "Still, we realize that a handful of our neighbors remain skeptical and recognize that it will take more than just our promises to turn them around. To that end, we are excited and look forward to opening a clean, safe and responsible business that in no way, shape or form will resemble the prior occupants of that corner."

The new eatery would be named 1601 after its address and feature Mediterranean tapas-style dishes like bruschetta, mussels and thin-crust gourmet pizza, along with daily and seasonal specials, the owners have said.

In 2002, the LCB made changes to its liquor code, allowing for "conditional licensing."

Under the new code, which took effect in February 2003, "the board may now approve a transfer contingent" on certain agreements. For example, a licensee might agree not to sell takeout beer, or to have live entertainment only until 10 p.m. Failure to meet the negotiated conditions would result in citation and/or nonrenewal of the license, according to the LCB statute.

The type of license granted d’Hermillon and Hogan mandates that they adhere to 10 conditions, said LCB spokesperson Molly McGowan. Those include banning the sale of 40- or 32-ounce containers of malt or brewed beverages, withdrawal of their application to the LCB for an extended-hours food permit and employment of security personnel during peak hours of operation.

"It’s been a long and complex process," d’Hermillon said in an interview two weeks ago. "If there has been an upside to the ordeal, it’s the fact that the delay has enabled my partner and I to get to know far more of the folks in the community than we otherwise would have."