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Wine shop gets nod on Cambridge Street
By adamg on Fri, 01/09/2015 - 8:44am
The Boston Licensing Board yesterday granted a license to a wine store proposed for Charles River Plaza off Cambridge Street.
At a hearing Wednesday, nearby liquor stores and some residents opposed the VinodiVino outlet, saying it would prove unfair competition for locally owned shops and that the eight liquor stores within a half-mile radius could already meet residents' wine needs. VinodiVino attorney Dennis Quilty, however, countered market considerations should not be part of the board's calculus on deciding on a license.
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Comments
Great.
Stupid process, but correct outcome. Why on earth would the competition from another store be "unfair"? Does this business have a reputation for selling under cost to drive out the other businesses and then jacking prices?
They actually are a nice wine store
At least the Brookline one is. They sell only beer and wine at reasonable market price. And if you join their free wine club, they track your purchases so if you really like a wine but can't remember what it was they will have a record of it. They also give you a tasting sheet for each bottle with some info about where it's from, and tasting notes. All of the employees are very knowledgeable and unpretentious. I always go in and tell them what I'm cooking, what I like drinking, and how much I want to spend and they give me some judgement free options. I know there are eight liquor stores in the area, but Vinodivino is a little different. I think the only undercutting they do is once a week they have a special, usually a wine rated over 90 points for much lower than the regular price.
And before anyone accuses me, no I do not work for them or have any affiliation, I just really like my neighborhood wine store.
Question
It seems as though it's easier for a store to get a license for beer and wine, and maybe liquor sales, than it is for a small restaurant to get a license for beer and wine. I know, of course, that there are only so many restaurant licenses available. Is this the same with stores and Boston hasn't reached the limit yet?
liquor stores
First of all there are three liquor stores within 200 feet of each other. LIke we need another liquor store. Sad that the local civic association, useless as they are, never supported these two small business owners (long time Cambridge Street businesses)
That pesky priniciple thing again.
First, the proposed business is outside the boundaries of Beacon Street, Bodwdoin Street, Cambridge Street, and Storrow Drive, and so the Beacon Hill Civic association shouldn't take a position on it any more than it would take a position on a license application in Malden.
Secondly, if you were going to ignore the geographical boundary issue, what is the clear and unambiguous principle you would suggest that the association should use, in order to decide when it is going to take a position favoring one business over another?
It would behoove them
To take a very pro-burrito stance for the foreseeable future.
;)
Only if
Only if the city's Burrito Licensing Agency can determine that there's an unmet community need for more burritos. I mean, you can't just have someone opening a business willy-nilly without the government determining that there's a market need for it.
something else
It's just too bad that that's the only business that wanted to go into the space. No shortage of wine in the hood.
involvement
They seemed to have some involvement in the earlier meetings. Still, not sure why we need three liquor stores within a stone's throw of each other. Would have been nice if they could have gotten the other stores to take it up a notch and lose the nips.