Pops in the South End to get new name, manager

David Noble, owner of Pops, 560 Tremont St., went before the Boston Licensing Board today for permission to hire a new manager with plans to slightly alter the place's menu under the name Smithfield Kitchen.

The board votes tomorrow on Noble's request to bring on Scott Herritt and to change the name.

Herritt told the board he will basically be keeping Pops the same, but will make it "a little bit more food focused."

One thing the newly rebranded restaurant won't do is seek longer hours - Noble said he learned his lesson from a fight with the neighborhood over noise under previous restaurant manager Felino Samson.