Law Students Save Mahogany Hall Bar

Two enterprising Law School students have taken over the Mahogany Hall bar in uptown Boston. John C. Hancock 2L, who, according to the bar's publicist, "looks like a Supreme Court Justice," and Richard F. Plotka 3L, a longtime member of the Mahogany Hall Stompers, are the new entrepreneurs.

The bar is located in the basement of the Copley Square Hotel, under the Storyville jazz-and-cocktails establishment. "When we saw that the hotel was going to give up Mahogany Hall, we just sat down and figured out that it couldn't possibly be a losing proposition. So we bought control of it," Hancock explained.

Putting aside a booklet entitled "Annual Examination in Law" during last night's rehearsal of the new bistro's Dixieland band, Hancock outlined the features of his bar. "We have no cover and no minimum, and our Dixie group is the only one of its kind anywhere around here." His four foot-tapping friends, seated on the sidelines, nodded agreement in time to "The World Is Waiting for The Sunrise."

Hancock went on, "Of course people will wonder at my partner and me --how we can be law students and still run a bar. But we work only on Friday and Saturday nights, times most students use for leisure anyway." The club will have its grand opening tomorrow evening.

At right, Plotka takes a breather to discuss last-minute plans with Hancock.