Somerville licensing board meeting: Tenoch approved

[teko.livejournal.com]

I attended tonight's licensing board hearing; most of the proceedings were special alcohol permits for various parties and functions, but a few bits of local interest:
• The former Kindred will become a coffeeshop called Nine Bar Espresso. They were approved for their Recorded Entertainment permit (so they can play music from an iPod)
• Taco Party in Ball Square (the former Zing Wingz space) was approved as well.
• Tenoch's entertainment permit as well as their beer & wine licenses were approved. Both of their elderly next-door neighbors voiced their concerns about noise and rowdiness, but a representative of the Mayor's office was there to voice the city's support and to note that the community meeting last week had gone very well. The Board approved them with one member abstaining grumpily.

Comments

[ron_newman]

I remember most of the establishments you listed here, but "Shamrock" is before my time. Where was it?

The Burren and (sadly soon to close) Johnny D's have presented entertainment and are great assets to our community. The Surrey Room also eventually became the reasonably respectable Rosebud Bar & Grill with live bands, before that closed and the whole Rosebud complex was done over.

[jlauspitz.livejournal.com]

The Shamrock operated under the licensing umbrella (and in the basement of) the Woodbridge Inn, before a series of fires led to the replacement of the Woodbridge by Ciampa Manor. As with the Surrey Room and the Willow Jazz Club in Ball Square, there were also policing issues involved.

The recurring issue is not "live" entertainment as such (the Diva and Aquarium used canned DJ music) but license-stretching attempts to save failing establishments by attracting a rowdy crowd. Not a likely scenario in the current case.

Johnny D's has made a great contribution to Davis Square and to the larger community!

[lizforalderman.livejournal.com]

I'm very sad for the loss of Johnny D's and I hope that another live music and dancing venue will replace it soon in the Davis Square area. But yes, the Tenoch location is not the place, it's too small.