"World of Beer" proposed for Social Security Building - public meeting Wednesday 4/17

[ron_newman]

I got this e-mail from Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz:

I wanted to update you that I have now had two meetings with the proponents of a place called "World of Beer" that wants to go into the Social Security Bldg space [240 Elm Street]. The lawyer for the new owner of the space, Mike Amato, is Rich DiGirolomo. I have told them that I am VERY concerned about this as a possible use since I don't want to see a drinking hole in Davis that allows you to bring in your own food and barely serves any food of their own. They have told me I have the wrong idea and it will be craft brews geared towards an "upscale" crowd. I am highly skeptical.

In response to my concerns, the proponents have now said they are going to partner with a restaurant to come into the space to share adjoining spaces. I'm not sure how that would work. They would like to have a community meeting ON SITE on Wed April 17th at 6:30pm. Can you please help me spread the word far and wide so we can get a large turnout of people who will ask key questions about what they are trying to do?

Comments

[bluesauce.livejournal.com]

Local good, national bad! Always, all the time. Nosiree, we can't be having these damn chains coming in and forcing their vile craft brews down our unsuspecting throats. Better stick to respectable local smoking rooms like the Joshua Tree, Sligo, and Diva.

[serious-noir.livejournal.com]

Guess you never had the opportunity to experience Harvard Sq. before it got turned into a mall of franchises.

[bluesauce.livejournal.com]

It's true, I didn't. But I doubt the chain restaurant is going to hold a gun to someone's head and MAKE them drink to excess. But I forgot. Chain bad. Local good. Two legs bad. Four legs good.

[serious-noir.livejournal.com]

Gee, you missed my point and reply with nonsense. How unsurprising.

[tim-sackton.livejournal.com]

Normally I would agree that the oft-expressed bias against chains is kind of pointless. However, as far as I know Somerville has an extremely limited number of liquor licenses to give out, and there is a case to be made that the city should prioritize local businesses with roots in the community over national chains.

Now, ideally the number of liquor licenses in the city would not be capped, but as far as I know the state legislature controls the number of licenses available, not the city of Somerville. Given the artificial scarcity this creates, I do think that taking factors like ownership structure into account is perfectly legitimate. I think there are reasonable worries, for example, that a national franchisee might face constraints that limit the degree to which they can feature deserving local beers. In the absence of constraints on the number of licenses available in Somerville I don't think this would be a bad thing, particularly - there is plenty of competition for places to drink beer in Davis. But as far as I know there is a hard limit to the number of licenses the city can give out.

[pch1.livejournal.com]

I would be surprised in this license was be given out by the city. More likely it is an existing license being sold to World of Beer in a private sale.