Boston Licensing Board
Brewing battle for Cleveland Circle as Starbucks gets ready to open up shop
By adamg - 2/9/12 - 4:48 pmThe Boston Licensing Board today approved a license for a Starbucks at 1944 Beacon St., across the street from a Dunkin' Donuts.
No more trouble in River City: Fenway club's pool tables now legal
By adamg - 2/9/12 - 4:42 pmThe Boston Licensing Board today approved two pool tables at Church of Boston on Kilmarnock Street.
Church ran two coin-operated pool tables for some 4 1/2 years until it learned - via a citation from Boston Police - that it needed a license for them. Hauled before the licensing board last year, Church officials apologized and said they'd immediately shut down the tables.
At a hearing yesterday on its formal license request for the two tables, a bar lawyer emphasized a club worker would have a clear view of the tables to quickly dampen any trouble.
Three bars win approval for fairly sober bottle service at certain tables
By adamg - 2/3/12 - 4:56 pmThe Boston Licensing Board yesterday approved requests from Red Lantern in the Back Bay, Kennedy's Midtown downtown and Down Ultra Lounge in the Financial District to let groups of customers drink from a bottle of liquor right on their table.
But bowing to the city's general distaste for bottle service, all three said customers would not actually be able to buy an entire bottle of liquor for the night.
Two bars want to let patrons say: I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a pre-frontal lobotomy
By adamg - 1/28/12 - 10:52 amRed Lantern on Stanhope Street and Kennedy's Midtown on Province Street - which are owned by the same group - go before the Licensing Board on Wednesday for permission to serve entire bottles of booze to patrons at their tables.
The hearings could prove interesting - the licensing board has long taken a dim view of letting people have unfettered access to high-proof liquor.
Retired BPD detective seeks new career as club manager
By adamg - 1/25/12 - 12:06 pmThe Boston Licensing Board decides tomorrow whether to let Miller Thomas, Jr. become manager of Cure, 246 Tremont St.
Thomas told the board today he spent 33 years on the police force, more than 25 of them as a detective. If approved, Thomas would join another former BPD detective as a Theater District manager - Thomas Montgomery, who now runs Venu and Rumor on Warrenton Street.
Board backs BonChon beer bid
By adamg - 1/19/12 - 1:59 pmThe Boston Licensing Board today approved a request by BonChon, 123 Brighton Ave. to buy a beer and wine license from an Asian restaurant on Mass. Ave. in the Back Bay. The approval means once the license deal with Island Hopper goes through, BonChon can serve beer and wine with its Korean barbecue.
The City that Always Sleeps tells owner of downtown Mexican place to take some Lunesta
By adamg - 1/18/12 - 10:17 pmThe Metro reports city officials oppose the idea of a Mexican restaurant on Bromfield Street staying open until 4:30 a.m. It would attract drunks, police say. That's almost 24-hour food service, licensing-board head grumps.
City officials allowed as how they might let Tequila Mexican Grill stay open until 2 a.m., but only after the owner meets with nearby residents. Apparently, only the so-called Innovation District will be allowed to have late-night food, if you don't count the 24-hour license the South Street Diner has, but, sheesh, that's just a few blocks away from the Innovation District and right near the new gateway the city and state want to build for our world-class city by South Station. Certainly nowhere near downtown.
Owner of Codman Square restaurant admits he did a bad, bad thing in bid to get his license back
By adamg - 1/17/12 - 9:16 pmEd. note: The amount of Graham's bounced license check was $2,219, not $134. The amount has been updated in the post; apologies for anybody misled by the incorrect figure.
Christopher Graham says he found himself in pretty dire straits the weekend of Jan. 7. The day before, a police detective had seized the food-serving license of his Lorenez Island Kuisine because the check he used to pay for its renewal had bounced. And as the detective, Robert Mulvey warned him, without the license, he had to shut immediately.
With no money to pay for the license, Graham told the Boston Licensing Board today, he panicked and held an illegal after-hours party that began early on Jan. 8 and ended when police, responding to the latest noise complaint about the 657 Washington St. restaurant, arrived around 2:55 a.m. and shut him down.
Graham raised enough money to pay for his license - more than $2,000 - but the move may well backfire on him: The licensing board votes Thursday whether to strip him of his license altogether or suspend it for a period of time. This is at least the second time Graham has bounced a check to the board.
Alleged groping oyster shucker could face drug charges, deportation
By adamg - 1/17/12 - 1:57 pmAn oyster shucker charged with fondling a waitress at Durgin-Park skipped court, then got a new job shucking oysters at the Union Oyster House, where he was nabbed as part of a drug investigation. Meanwhile, ICE wants him as a possible illegal immigrant.
Bar to appeal license suspension over water pong
By adamg - 12/16/11 - 11:23 amGoodbar will seek state review of a Boston Licensing Board decision that will force it to close for three days in part because patrons were caught holding beers and drinking from them while playing a game that involves tossing little balls into cups filled with water.
