liquor

Happy hours are here again?

A state senator who owns a bar has added a provision to a proposed casino law that would let every bar in the state offer happy hours as a way to compete with casinos that would be allowed to offer free boozes to loosen up their customer's wallets.

Wicked Local reports the Senate passed Sen. Bob Hedlund's happy-hour amendment, which now goes to a House/Senate conference committee. The Senate rejected a proposed ban on free drinks at casinos. Happy hours have been banned in Massachusetts since the Dukakis era.

When no means yes

One Massachusetts is a group seeking a "No" vote on all three of this year's ballot questions, which would cut the sales tax in general, repeal the sales tax on booze in particular and eliminate a state requirement that communities ensure a certain percentage of their homes are "affordable." The group's Harmony Blakeway makes the case that "No" votes would actually be saying:

YES for our communities. YES, we want stable, healthy communities with opportunities for recovery. YES, we believe that all of our friends and neighbors deserve safe homes and neighborhoods. YES, we understand that our shared investment is essential to expanding economic opportunity and prosperity in Massachusetts.

Meanwhile, Dan Kennedy explains why he's inclined to vote "Yes" to repeal the affordable-housing provision, also known as Chapter 40B, because it can encourage overdevelopment, but also makes a request to the state's media:

Over the next few weeks, as we move closer to Election Day, I hope news organizations will take a good, hard look at Chapter 40B and whether it really deserves to be retained. What are the success stories? What are the failures? How could it be improved?

I would just as soon not vote against affordable housing, but right now I don’t see any reason to keep this law on the books.

Marty's looks to get back to Allston/Brighton

BeerAdvocate cites an Allston/Brighton Bulletin article that Marty's is looking to get a license for 205 Market St..

Bradley Liquors saves the day

When you order a turkey sammich, and the deli man instead gives you a smoked turkey sammich, your first instinct might be to open that thing up and show him the exact difference between what you asked for and what he gave you. And by “show” I obviously mean mashing it all over his face.