Bond Street Social, the bar that has taken over DuClaw Brewing Company's former home in Fells Point, is expected to open in September, owner Mike Mastellone said.
The new bar will be similar to Ladder 15, the Philadelphia bar that he and some of his partners have run for several years.
"It's the same concept, but with a different name," Mastellone said.
Mastellone, and John Durkin, who also runs Mad River Bar & Grille, had been pursuing the 901 S. Bond Street bar since last year. In December, they filed an application with the Baltimore liquor board.
The license was transferred in February, and the partners signed a lease on the property this Monday. Mastellone declined to talk about costs.
Mad River notwithstanding, Durkin has said they wanted the space because there was a void in the Baltimore market for a bar that was both upscale and casual. Mastellone echoed his sentiments, saying they were pursuing the "after-work corporate clientele."
"We're filling a void in the Baltimore market," he said. "There are lots of places for young professionals to go, but once you go above 25 into your 30s and early 40s, there's no good casual bar or restaurant concept."
He continued, "Harbor East has a lot of white tablecloth places. Fell's Point is too casual. We want to mesh what we saw on both sides."
Mastellone insisted Bond Street Social and Mad River are different concepts.
He said the new bar would be more similar to Ladder 15, which serves New American cuisine, offers nine wines in the $7-$11 price range, and carries 12 draft beers.
Mastellone promised the new bar would have at least 12 drafts that would rotate, with a focus on regional craft brews. Though the menu hasn't been priced yet, he suggested bottled beer would be in the $4 - $6 price range, while entrees would be in the $12-$20 range.
"We want an upscale atmosphere but with an approachable vibe," he said.
While DuClaw's Dave Benfield has said they closed the location because business had been sluggish, Mastellone said the previous tenants just hadn't maximized use of the space.
The Bond Street Social partners plan on adding a 30-foot bar, a fire pit to one of the rooms, as well as making full use of the bar's 2,000-square-foot outdoor patio.
They just finished meeting with architects, and expect renovations to begin by the end of the month. Mastellone said they're projecting an opening for September.
Photo: DuClaw's Fells Point location (Sam Sessa)