Restoration Hardware

"The last thing you want to see at an event are police and panicked PR girls." Photo by Sean William.

Apparently Restoration Hardware, um, RH, had more people stuffed into the restored Museum of Natural History than it was permitted for, so fire inspectors started shutting the thing down shortly after 8 p.m. - barring people from going in, even if they had already been in but stepped outside.

At 7:47, Priya Sisodia tweeted:

At the Restoration Hardware opening, so freaking crowded can barely move. At least the wine's good. On the lookout for celebs and athletes!

Restoration Hardware is betting it can entice you to buy patio sets by helping you enjoy some adult beverages as you lounge around on floor models at its impending store on Berkeley Street in the Back Bay.

The Boston Licensing Board yesterday granted Restoration Hardware permission to buy a beer-and-wine license for the store from the Channel Cafe on Summer Street. The chain hopes to open its extensively renovated store next month.

At a hearing Wednesday, the chain's local attorney, Dennis Quilty, told the board Restoration Hardware will pair beer and wine and "small bites" types of food with outdoor furniture on the store's third floor. Customers "will be able to sit on the furniture that hopefully they will be interested in buying," he said.