Boston Licensing Board

Brewing battle for Cleveland Circle as Starbucks gets ready to open up shop

adamg — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:48:04 +0000

The 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

adamg — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:42:26 +0000

The 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

adamg — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:56:59 +0000

The 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

adamg — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:52:44 +0000

Red 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

adamg — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:06:43 +0000

The 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

adamg — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:59:29 +0000

The 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

adamg — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:17:29 +0000

The 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

adamg — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:16:27 +0000

Ed. 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

adamg — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:57:53 +0000

An 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

adamg — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:23:42 +0000

Goodbar 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.

Board puts bars on notice: Offer water pong and they're cruising for a bruising

adamg — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:04:54 +0000

The Boston Licensing Board today ordered a State Street bar to shut down for three days for an incident in which detectives found an underage woman with a bottle of beer while other patrons were playing a game similar to beer pong, only with water.

At night, when the bars close down, the ghost of Sgt. Schultz patrols Downtown Crossing

adamg — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 22:02:51 +0000

10/29/11 - 1:00 am

If it weren't for all the 911 calls and the dazed and bloodied man police found lying in the street, you'd think nothing at all happened outside Mantra early on Oct. 29.

Workers at the Temple Place bar, including the head bouncer, told the Boston Licensing Board this morning they didn't call police because after they closed up around 1 a.m. - and checked the street outside and found it clear - they heard nothing, even though a police report read into evidence said the manager on duty acknowledged a brawl outside.

Will water pong be banned in Boston?

adamg — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:42:16 +0000

The Boston Licensing Board on Thursday considers whether to effectively prohibit city bars from offering a game that's played like beer pong, only with water.

No Olives loafing: Todd English says Charlestown restaurant could re-open next month

adamg — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:10:26 +0000

English and attorney Dennis Quilty today.This time, the celebrichef told the Boston Licensing Board, he really, really means it: Renovations to his fire-ravaged City Square restaurant are nearly complete and he could be ready to welcome diners again in January.

At a hearing this morning, he said he's so confident now he's begun assembling his restaurant staff. Just yesterday, upwards of 180 people stopped by Olives to apply for work, he told board Chairwoman Nicole Murati Ferrer (board member Suzanne Ianella recused herself; board member Milton Wright was absent).

Lap dance bites Combat Zone club in the ass

adamg — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:14:28 +0000

The Boston Licensing Board today ordered the Glass Slipper to shut down for two days as penance for the horizontal lap dance a police detective found a dancer giving a customer early on Oct. 27.

The club, one of two strip clubs left in the Combat Zone, gets to pick when it wants to shut down.

At a hearing on Tuesday, a club manager said he was as surprised as anyone to discover the customer was lying on a couch pawing the dancer as she ground on top of him, in direct violation of a city ordinances against customer/dancer contact in general and butt grabbing in particular. The customer paid $300 for the performance in one of the club's third-floor private-party rooms; the dancer lost her job over the extra work.