Secrets are exciting. Whether customers are getting a special bargain that few are privy to or just the sense of excitement that comes with finding a hidden gem on a remote corner of town, patrons like to think they’re members of a small, elite club.

Prohibition was a relatively short period of time that ended decades ago, and yet many Americans cling to the thrilling idea of the so-called “speakeasy.” It seems that creating the illusion that a bar is difficult to find or get into means that patrons are willing to fight their way in and pay a premium for cocktails with old fashioned names and ingredients.

So what exactly makes a bar a speakeasy in an age when alcohol is perfectly legal? Technically speaking, nothing. What creates a convincing impression that an establishment is this particular type of forbidden fruit? Well, the answer to that is a bit more complicated. Read more