Local Licensing Issues

The Boston Globe reported that Brookline selectmen last week delivered warnings to two businesses and punished another after they were caught selling alcohol to minors during a police sting operation last month. The board’s decision to suspend Mall Discount Liquors’ alcohol sales license for 10 days will cost the Harvard Street business more than $40,000 […]

The Stoughton Board of Selectmen has given Pete’s Place owner Peter Bersani another month to sell his liquor license, although some board members were reluctant to give the extension, as reported by the Wicked Local Stoughton website. Bersani now has until Nov. 9 to sell the license or it will get revoked, with the town […]

The Wellesley Board of Selectmen has levied a two-day suspension on the Italo-American Educational Club’s liquor license for two days in November due to violations stemming from an investigation of an incident that took place in summer. Wellesley Police responded to reports of a fight in the parking lot of the club, located at 80 […]

Lavo Ristorante & Lounge has received a three-day suspension and license rollback to 1 a.m. as punishment for alleged violations on the premises, according to the Saugus Advertiser. The Board of Selectmen called a show-cause hearing last week to determine whether Lavo merits disciplinary action for events that occurred at the Route 1 restaurant/club on […]

The Braintree Forum reports that a business called Wine Nation may appeal to the Superior Court an ABCC decision upholding the town of Braintree’s decision to deny the wine “superstore” an all-alcohol license. Maryland businessman Thomas Trone is seeking to open Wine Nation, a 21,000-square-foot “wine superstore” that would have about 50 employees, in the […]

GateHouse News Service is reporting that the Ryanham selectmen voted unanimously last week to revoke the liquor license of Joe T’s Pub on South Street East. Owner Karen Thomas closed the pub in May 2008. Selectmen Chairwoman Marie Smith told GateHouse that revoking the all-alcoholic beverage license “is long overdue.” Selectman Joseph Pacheco also noted […]

The Boston Globe reported (and quoted yours truly) on the City Council’s decision to clear the way for vendors at Logan International Airport to be granted special liquor licenses, potentially freeing up 13 sought-after licenses now being used at the airport to be sold to establishments throughout the city. The Globe reports that currently 40 […]

The new economic development bill passed by the state legislature over the summer will allow for the sale of vineyard wines at local farmers’ markets, a positive step in the promotion of agriculture and the marketing for sale of Massachusetts products. Massachusetts wineries can now set up and sell locally produced wines alongside other agricultural […]

Good, in-depth reporting by the Lawrence Eagle Tribune on the recent spate of violence at bars and nightclubs at 205 Broadway and the local police and ABCC’s efforts to deal with the liquor license owners. The Trib relays stories of shootings and drug deals and questions whether local authorities are equipped to combat the crimes. […]

More from the local Everett paper about the controversial granting of a liquor license to a youth hostel owned by Representative Stat Smith, the Backpakers Pub on School Street. The state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission has been asked to hold a hearing by residents who have signed a petition asking the ABCC not to grant […]

Two Belmont women won local approval to receive the town’s last available retail beer and wine license. The town’s Board of Selectmen recently voted to approve Suzanne Schalow and Kate Baker’s application for a license to open Craft Beer Cellar at 51 Leonard St., according to the Belmont Citizen-Herald. Schalow and Baker plan to carry […]

I liked this story out of North Andover, where the Wine Connextion, a new store run by brother-sister duo Tina and Sam Messina, has started a campaign to detract people from making the voyage to New Hampshire for alcohol, hoping to save money by avoiding Massachusetts’ sales tax. “We just wanted to make people aware […]

The Martha’s Vineyard Times had an insightful look into the patrol procedures of an Edgartown police officer assigned to a local liquor store. The article discusses how the officer can quickly recognize underage drinkers, who fit a pattern of certain behaviors that make them stand out.

The Boston Globe reports that 13 Boston liquor licenses could become available for purchase on the open market if a proposal for a special airport liquor license goes through. The Massachusetts Port Authority, which runs Logan International Airport, is asking the city to grant new restricted airport licenses to the approximately 40 vendors, including restaurants […]

Unusual story out of Chelmsford about a local meat shop seeking a wine and beer license from the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (ABCC) after being denied by the town in a close 3-2 decision. Len Carpenter, owner of The Meat House in Chelmsford, was to appear before the ABCC on Aug. 4 to state […]

A political battle has heated up in Everett, where a state representative is doing battle with the superintendent of schools over a liquor license. The controversy stems from State Rep. Stat Smith application for a liquor license for his youth hostel, Backpackers, an inexpensive rooming house frequented by young people from around the globe. The […]

A local Wareham paper reports on the 8 new full alcoholic beverage licenses to be made available in Wareham, once approved by Governor Deval Patrick. The State Senate and House of Representatives have passed a bill that will make the eight additional liquor licenses available for year-round use; the prior licenses were seasonal, from April […]

The Norwood Transcript reports that local package store Balboni’s has received a four-day suspension from selling alcohol because it sold alcohol to a 16-year-old in May. The suspension will take effect August 1. On May 8, Norwood Police saw a 16-year-old boy leaving the Washington Street liquor store with three 30-packs of beer, as well […]

Boston City Councilor Michael Ross has requested that a hearing be held to discuss and examine the regulations and permitting and licensing process for mobile food vendors in Boston. The order references the recent growth in “mobile” restaurants and the need in Boston to regulate this emerging industry.

Interesting story from Cape Cod highlighting the benefits of having some assistance from a local politician on liquor licensing issues. State Senator Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton) intervened after Kenny’s Salt Water Taffy owners told him that due to state ABCC back-ups and delays, they were in jeopardy of not obtaining their seasonal liquor license in time […]

From the bright lights of the Boston liquor licensing scene comes a story from the Newburyport paper about a controversial ousting from the Salisbury Liquor Licensing Commission. Interestingly, the Salisbury’s separate Liquor Licensing Commission came by special legislation in the 1950s, after residents grew concerned over the way the selectmen were handling liquor related issues.