The Revere License Commission held its regular monthly meeting last Wednesday, May 15, in the City Council Chamber. Chair Robert Selevitch and fellow commissioners Daniel Occena and Liliana Monroy were on hand for the session and addressed a wide range of matters.
The first item on the agenda was an application from Royal Food Enterprises, Inc., 91 Centennial Ave., Mohammed Fdal, manager for a change of d/b/a from Sabrine Bakery & Café to Crown Fried Chicken & Pizza, A representative for the establishment told the commission that they felt that a change of its business from a bakery to a fried chicken and pizza restaurant made sense for that area.
There were no opponents and the commission unanimously approved the application.
Ralph DeCicco from the Blessed Mother of the Morning Star Parish at St. Mary’s Church, 670 Washington Ave., presented an application for a 1-day Malt/Wine, Common Victualler & Entertainment License to be exercised in the Lower Church Hall on Saturday, June 15, from 5 p.m.–10 p.m. for a Doo-Woop Dinner Dance with an expected attendance of 85–95 persons.
Mr. DeCicco, the vice-president of the Holy Name Society, told the commissioners that the society regularly holds themed dinner-dances for the parishioners. There will be catered food and a DJ. There were no questions, no opponents, and the commission unanimously approved the application.
Steven Morabito, Revere’s Director of DEI, next presented an application for a 1-day Entertainment License to be exercised at Waterfront Square on Sunday, June 23, from 2 p.m –7 p.m. for the third annual Revere Beach Pride Event. The expected attendance is 1000. Morabito explained that the westerly side of Waterfront Square will feature a DJ and music.
“These are important traditions that the city has been doing to celebrate diversity, inclusion, and community spirit,” said Morabito. He said there will be no alcohol served by the event, though the adjacent Fine Line restaurant will be open for service. There were no opponents and the commission unanimously approved the application.
Next up was an application from H & R Partners, Inc,. d/b/a Valsos Table & Bar 139 Shirley Ave., Alexander Herrera, Manager, for an Alteration of Premises to add outdoor seating for 15 patrons from 10 a.m.–12 a.m. seven days per week.
Mr. Herrera told the commission that the outdoor seating area will be contained within the restaurant’s own property and will not encroach on the public sidewalk. He also noted that there will be a small speaker for background music only. He said that the establishment has done this for the past two years. There were no opponents and the commissioners unanimously approved the application.
Revere Hotel Realty, LLC, d/b/a Avid Hotel Boston Logan Airport–Revere, 405 American Legion Highway, presented an application for a Change of Manager to Ian Galloway from Bernie L. Auch, III.
Mr. Galloway informed the commissioners that he has been in the hotel business for more than 12 years and that there will be no changes to the operation of the business. There were no opponents and the commission unanimously approved the application.
Revere Lodge #1171 of the B.P.O.E. of U.S.A., Inc., 198 Shirley Ave., presented an application for a Change of Manager from James Hannon to Anessa Schena. Ms. Schena told the commission that Mr. Hannon is retiring. She said that she has been a bar manager in the past and is TIPS-certified. There were no opponents and the commission unanimous;y approved the application.
Ms. Schena also presented an application on behalf of the Elks Lodge for a change of officers to reflect the recent annual club election. The request was approved without discussion.
Diane Cardona, the proprietor of Chocolaffee, LLC, 9 Dehon St., presented an application for a Common Victualler License to be exercised from Sunday–Saturday 5 a.m.–11 p.m. with requested seating of 15. Ms. Cardona said her new business will offer baked goods and empanadas and “will provide some Columbian essence in our coffee.”
Erica Porzio, the Executive Director of the Revere Chamber of Commerce, informed the commission that the Chamber supported the application. There were no opponents and the application was approved unanimously.
With the routine business out of the way, the commission held a lengthy hearing pertaining to Noah Autobody Repair & Sales, Inc., 1095 Broadway, Raymond Desamours, Manager “to inquire into the operation and status of the licensed business.” This matter had been continued from the April meeting.
At issue is that Mr. Desamours has not been operating his business as required by the terms of his license for at least 30 hours per week. “Your client has had the license for a year or so and there has been no sales, no activity, no business activity at that location, which is in violation of the license,” said Selevitch. “So we want to see what his plans are and if he plans on opening.”
Atty. James Nyman of Boston represented Mr. Desamours. Atty. Nyman said that Mr. Desamours had been unaware of the hearing last month and only became aware of the May hearing recently. Mr. Nyman asserted to the commission that an adjacent business has been trespassing on the property and presented an affidavit from Mr. Desamoiurs, the crux of which is that he has been “frustrated in trying to sell cars” by the adjacent business’s trespassing on his property.
Nyman said he has written a cease-and-desist letter to the other business owner, but Nyman alleged that the trespassing has increased, including the parking of vehicles that have been obstructing the entrance to the property.
In response to a question from Selevitch, Nyman acknowledged that there is a dispute about the property lines which is the genesis of the problem between the parties. The commission also heard from the owner of the adjacent property, Mike Zaccaria of Action Emergency Management Services.
“We absolutely are not on their property. We do not want to stop him and wish to work with him, but he never is there,” Zaccaria said. “We’re very frustrated with the situation and we’ve tried and tried to work it out with him.”
After some further discussion, the commission agreed to continue the matter for 90 days in order for the parties to work out a plan for the installation of a fence. In addition, Mr. Desamours must reopen for business per the terms of the license (at least 30 hours per week), even if he is selling only one vehicle. The commission then adjourned until its next meeting on June 26.
