Speakeasies embodied the newly emerging carefree mentality brought on by the Prohibition. Standing for secrecy and excitement, few could resist their pull. Speakeasies reflected a changing society – a society obsessed with experimenting and defiance. “For middle class New Yorkers especially, refusing to comply with the federal Prohibition laws became a form of self-liberation and a way to reinvent oneself within the context of the urban culture of the 1920’s.”[1] “Cosmopolitan” and “sophisticated” became the defining terms of the decade. Being “in the know,” or savvy with the lingo used to procure alcohol (passphrase or scripted dialogue) designated someone as a modern New Yorker. Furthermore, drinking was slowly becoming a mark of social status, as people demanded specific vintages and bottle shapes. The city’s nightlife had evolved from fancy hotels and restaurants to clubs with lively music, shows, and booze. “Unlike old-fashioned saloons, which had always been comforting in their familiarity, speakeasies were full of surprises.[2] Speakeasies attracted people from all ethnic and social classes, challenging the social norms of previous generations and encouraging the mixing of ideas. However, “at a speakeasy, you had to be known to get in” – “each place had its own clientele.”[3]This gave each speakeasy a unique personality, oriented towards a specific group of people who chose to come back again and again.