Governor Patrick proposes eliminating liquor license cap

[keithn.livejournal.com]

In what could end up being great news for Somerville, Governor Patrick has proposed eliminating the liquor license cap for towns and cities across the state. This would eliminate what has (ostensibly) been a major hurdle preventing new restaurants from opening in Somerville.

More details: http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/05/gov_deval_patrick_proposes_to.html

From the article:

"That giant sigh of relief you probably heard was Mayor Joe Curtatone,” joked Gardner Mayor Mark Hawke, referring to the Somerville mayor who was not in attendance.

Curtatone appeared with Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll at a legislative hearing in August to testify in favor of legislation to eliminate the cap, arguing that restaurant owners find it difficult to locate in Somerville because of a lack of available licenses.

I'm not sure what resistance there will be to this, but current restaurant owners will have something to lose, as their liquor licenses (which are transferable) will no longer have any value.

Comments

[francescadavis.livejournal.com]

I don't think folks are against restaurants that provide something interesting with a diverse offering of food and beverage (alcohol or otherwise). The Beer Works proposal was an addition to 5 existing restaurants with craft beer menus and generic American bar food. I'd liken it to the over population of burrito restaurants a few years ago and fro-yo now. There is nothing wrong with residents requesting diversity in services offered in the area where they live. I am totally for the elimination on the license cap. This will allow more independent restaurants and bars to jump in to the fray and give us great options. It is essential to creating a vibrant and interesting urban environment for visitors and residents. Beer Works wasn't offering anything new, different or interesting and would have only contributed to late night detritus to be discovered by residents walking their dogs the next morning.

[maelithil.livejournal.com]

But would have filled a storefront that has been empty for what, five years?

I'm all for diverse restaurants, but you gotta do what you gotta do. The 2am drunks who will grace my sidewalk in about an hour are going to be there and are going to vomit regardless of the mediocrity of the food at a Beerworks.

[smammy]

Apparently there's plenty of demand in Davis for craft beer and American bar food. Just like there's enough demand for prescriptions and convenience item in Porter Square to support both a CVS and a Wallgreens. Aren't we supposed to just let the market sort this one out?

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

What people want for the atmosphere of the Square is "something interesting with a diverse offering of food and beverage". What they'll pay for is alcohol, preferably interesting but not too expensive. Eliminating the liquor cap will eliminate the excess profits ("economic rent") harvested by those who now own liquor licenses, unless they can persuade the city to not issue any more. The winners are everyone else in the deal, primarily the customers and the landlords. Losers include people who don't drink much and don't want the people around them drinking more.

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

Well, the Walgreens is newish, who knows if it'll last.

It's the two CVSes in Harvard that really crack me up. A block away from each other! Not like CVS is Starbucks... I thought.

But yeah, I'd generally go with "the market". Not like a planning commission or "concerned citizens" is going to be better at business planning than a business.

[keithn.livejournal.com]

As far as I know, there are no restaurants in Davis that brew their own beer, and definitely none that brew their own beer on site.

What the residents want the market will deliver. If the frozen yogurt places and burrito places stay in business while Farmer's Bounty goes out of business, I think we know what residents really wanted.

Also, while some residents opposed Beer Works, Alderman Gewirtz (who organized the opposition) herself admitted that most residents who contacted her about it were actually in favor of Beer Works.