By Journal Staff
The Revere License Commission (RLC) held its regular monthly meeting last Wednesday afternoon (November 20) in the City Council Chamber. Chair Robert Selevitch and fellow members Daniel Occena and Liliana Monroy were on hand for the session.
The first item on the agenda was a request from McClellan Highway Development Corp., 10 Suffolk Downs Boulevard, Rachel Ottley, event manager, for two 1-day Common Victualler & Entertainment Licenses to be exercised outdoors at 10 Suffolk Downs Boulevard on Saturday, November 30, and Sunday, December 8, from 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. for a holiday fair with a Christmas tree pop-up, live music, non-alcoholic beverages, kids’ crafts, and food trucks. The expected attendance is 500-1000 persons.
Ms. Ottley presented the application to the board. She said the holiday fair, which is new this year, will be open to the public. There were no opponents and the commission unanimously approved the application.
Next up was a request for another 1-day license from the Revere Public Library, 179 Beach Street, Don Martelli, event manager, for a Malt/Wine License to be exercised at the library on Thursday, November 21, 2024, from 6 p.m.–8 p.m., for a Books & Brews networking event for small businesses with an expected attendance of 30–40 persons.
Mr. Martelli, a Trustee of the Revere Public Library and a member of the Board of Directors of the Revere Chamber of Commerce, told the commissioners that the library and chamber are seeking to create collaborative events for the benefit of both. He said Murray’s Tavern will manage the service of beer and wine.
Ward 2 City Councilor Ira Novoselsky briefly spoke in favor of the application. There were no opponents and the commission unanimously approved issuing the license.
Rockwal Realty Trust, 1380 North Shore Road, Jean Geary, manager, came before the commission with an application for a change in the number of spaces for a Commercial Parking Lot License from the current number of 45 parking spaces to a new number of 32 parking spaces.
Ms. Geary presented the application. She said that her business is seeking to reduce its allowable number of parking spaces because the business is being charged by the city for 45 spaces, but her usage is limited to 32 spaces because Rockwal Realty’s lease with National Grid, which owns the property, only allows Rockwal to park vehicles on a portion of the entire lot.
“This is a small parking lot and I have a handful of regulars, so I do not even put out a sign anymore,” said Geary.
Novoselsky also spoke in favor of this application. There were no opponents and the commissioners unanimously approved the application.
The commission then heard a request from 21 Revere Beach Blvd, LLC, 21 Revere Beach Boulevard, Michael Aldi, manager, to add Bottle Service for an All Alcohol Restaurant License. The restaurant formerly was known as Vivi’s Tapas Bar.
Mr. Aldi, who operates other businesses in the city, including Dryft at 500 Ocean Ave., presented the application. He said the bottle service will allow a party of four or more to order a bottle that will be poured by a TIPS-certified server at the table.
However, there was a question as to whether Revere even requires a separate license for this type of service. Aldi indicated that Boston has such licenses, where he has other restaurants.
There were no opponents and the commission unanimously approved the application.
The fifth Item on the agenda was a request from Que Arepa Corporation, d/b/a Que Arepa, 163 Squire Road, Guillermo Rodriguez, manager, for a Malt/Wine Restaurant license to be exercised at the same location as the existing restaurant that seats 24 patrons. The requested hours are Monday–Thursday from 6 a.m. – 12 a.m. and Friday–Sunday from 6 a.m.–1 a.m. Alcohol service would commence no earlier than 10 a.m. on Sundays and 8 a.m. on weekdays.
Mr. Rodriguez, through a Spanish-speaking interpreter, presented the application. Mr. Rodriguez, who is TIPS-certified, said the business has been open for two years and that customers are asking for beer and wine to be served with the restaurant’s Colombian cuisine.
There were no opponents and the commission unanimously approved the application.
The commissioners then took up their annual discussion about extending the hours for establishments in the city to serve food and non-alcoholic refreshments on New Year’s Eve beyond the usual closing hour of 2 a.m. until 3:00 a.m.
The board approved the extended hours, which has been the practice for many years. Owners will still be required to cease liquor service at 1:30 a.m.; all alcohol must be removed from patrons by 2:00; food service and entertainment must cease at 2:30; and all patrons must be off-premises by 3:00.
The commissioners made note of two communications that were received in the past month, both from the ABCC:
1. Advisory from Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) concerning non-consensual drugging occurring at licensed premises. The ABCC wrote:
“The ABCC is aware of local, national, and international news reports of an increase in illicit, non-consensual drugging occurring at bars, nightclubs, and other nightlife venues. All § 12 Licensees should alert employees and patrons about the increase in predatory behavior and are advised to be vigilant in monitoring activity within their establishments. Licensees are encouraged to have an active security plan in place, in which all employees are trained.”
2. Annual Holiday Compliance Reminder (Happy Hour Regulation) from the ABCC. That advisory states as follows:
“The Commission would like to remind you of certain practices, which are prohibited under the Liquor Control Act (G.L. c. 138) and Commission regulations, specified in 204 C.M.R. 4.00, et seq., (commonly referred to as the “Happy Hour” regulation). These
prohibited practices are available on the Commission’s website at www.mass.gov/abec. The “Happy Hour regulation prohibits any licensee or employee or agent of a licensee from
engaging in or permitting any of the following activities:
1. offering or delivering any free drinks to any person or group of persons;
2. delivering more than two drinks to one person at one time;
3. selling, offering to sell or delivering to any person or group of persons any drinks at a price less than the price regularly charged for such drinks during the same calendar week, except at private functions not open to the public; 4. selling, offering to sell or delivering to any person an unlimited number of drinks during any set period of time for a fixed price, except at private functions not open to the public:
5. selling, offering to sell or delivering drinks to any person or group of persons on any one day at prices less than those charged the general public on that day, except at private functions not open to the public;
6. selling, offering to sell or delivering malt beverages or mixed drinks by the pitcher except to two or more persons at any one time;
7. increasing the volume of alcoholic beverages contained in a drink without increasing proportionately the price regularly charged for such drink during the same calendar week; and
8. encouraging or permitting, on the licensed premises, any game or contest,
which involves drinking or the awarding of drinks as prizes. Therefore, licensees may not legally offer an “open bar” to customers for a fixed price, except at private functions, or offer discounted prices for drinks during a limited time period. Furthermore, no licensee shall advertise or promote in any way, either inside or outside the licensed premises.”
The commission concluded the meeting with the annual task of approving license renewals for the coming year:
Restaurant – All Alcohol
Beachmont Pizza Corp. d/b/a Luigi’s Pizzeria, 616 Winthrop Avenue
Eddie Mac’s Lounge, Inc. d/b/a The Volcano Room, 377 Revere Beach Blvd.
Off-Premises – Malt/Wine
SE North Shore, Inc. d/b/a 7-Eleven 27471C, 1120 North Shore Road 2
Off-Premises – All Alcohol
Aksharbrahama, Inc. d/b/a Woody’s Liquors, 266 Broadway
Blanchards Revere, Inc., 286 American Legion Highway
Orange Grove Market, Inc., 158 Shirley Avenue
Premrang, Inc. d/b/a Gio’s Liquors, 765 Broadway
Shree Rang, Inc. d/b/a E-Z Liquors, 750 Washington Avenue
Shuban, Inc. d/b/a Parkway Convenience, 190A Revere Beach Parkway
TBS Beverage, Inc. d/b/a Ocean Liquors, 210 Shirley Avenue
Common Victualler
Suffolk Diner, LLC d/b/a Airport Diner @ Suffolk Downs, 10 Furlong Drive
Lee Burbank Highway Service Station, Inc. d/b/a Super Sunoco, 251 Lee Burbank Hwy
SE North Shore, Inc. d/b/a 7-Eleven 27471C, 1120 North Shore Road
Ambros Foods, LLC d/b/a Pizza Hut #37230, 5A Everett St
Demoulas Supermarkets, Inc. d/b/a Market Basket, 275 Squire Rd
Felicita D’Alelio d/b/a Brewin’ Café, 311 Broadway
Gil Lopera, Inc. d/b/a La Abuela Carmen Products, 154 Squire Rd
Meridian Market Revere, LLC, 300 Ocean Avenue
Napoles Bakery & Café Corporation, 180 Shirley Avenue, Unit C-1
Revere Dandee, LLC d/b/a Dandee Donuts, 1141 Revere Beach Parkway
S&S Donuts, LLC d/b/a Dunkin Donuts, 145 Broadway
Seak Ly Kong d/b/a Thmor Da Restaurant, 144 Shirley Ave
Sudguru Hotel, LLC d/b/a Quality Inn, 100 Morris Street
Team Elite Pizza, LLC d/b/a Domino’s, 570 Broadway
Tori, LLC d/b/a Dunkin Donuts, 477 Beach Street
Class 1 Motor Vehicle Dealer
The Bikers Outfitter, Inc., 1039 Broadway
Class 2 Motor Vehicle Dealer
Commonwealth Auto Body, Inc. d/b/a Commonwealth Auto Sales, 335 Lee Burbank Hwy Kenneth G. LaFauci d/b/a Brothers Auto Body, 16 Naples Road
Miguel A. Gonzalez d/b/a La Joya Auto Sales & Service, 1420 North Shore Rd
Entertainment
Demoulas Supermarkets, Inc. d/b/a Market Basket, 275 Squire Rd
Sudguru Hotel, LLC d/b/a Quality Inn, 100 Morris Street
Innholder
Sudguru Hotel, LLC d/b/a Quality Inn, 100 Morris Street
Gold, Silver, Precious Metals, Jewelry Dealer
Rachana Jewelry, Inc., 156 Shirley Ave
Lodging House
Shirley Investments, LLC, 194 Shirley Ave
Pawnbroker
Andrew Sica d/b/a Suffolk Pawn, 333 Lee Burbank Hwy
Secondhand Dealer
AC’s Cards & Games, Inc., 348 Revere St
Andrew Sica d/b/a Suffolk Pawn, 333 Lee Burbank Hwy
