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Mei Mei gets answer on beer and wine license: No, no
By adamg on Fri, 01/24/2014 - 4:32pm
The Boston Licensing Board says it doesn't have any beer and wine licenses left to hand out, so if Mei Mei wants one for its new Audubon Circle location, it will either have to re-apply and hope it gets lucky or try to buy a license on the open market.
The board's decision came Thursday. Mei Mei had submitted hundreds of signatures on petitions for its 506 Park Dr., but there's little the board could do when the city has run up against its state imposed limit on the number of liquor licenses in Boston.
Because it's seeking to serve only beer and wine, Mei Mei could expect to pay in the mid to high five figures for a license on the open market, rather than the $250,000 to $300,000 a full-liquor license would go for.
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Comments
though I've spent many years
though I've spent many years in Massachusetts, I'm still flabbergasted at the stupidity of liquor laws here. If anyone thinks Mei Mei (or any other restaurant) obtaining a booze license is the end of the world, I've got a bridge...
Isn't some politician working
Isn't some politician working on fixing this right now?
yeah, it should be fixed any
yeah, it should be fixed any second, especially since rich and powerful people already have liquor licenses they paid a ton of money for.
Me too
This city can't get out of its own way.
I think it's ridiculous what
I think it's ridiculous what Boston makes restaurant owners go through to get a beer & wine license--never mind a full liquor license.
What kinds of permits are required for a BYOB establishment? I'm surprised that they aren't more common in Boston. I actually sometimes prefer them to having to buy the (market up) booze in the restaurant.
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong
But I don't think Boston allows BYOB.
MA and local laws on BYOB
In MA, BYOB is illegal in any restaurant that already has a beer/wine or full liquor license. If the restaurant has no license, the ability to allow BYOB is regulated on a town-by-town basis. Boston and most immediate surrounding communities -- Somerville and Cambridge, for sure, possibly others -- don't allow it. I believe Newton and Belmont do by law. As I understand it, Brookline law is mum on the subject, so it is effectively allowed. If you want to bring your own, look to the suburbs.
I hope Mei Mei eventually gets a beer/wine license somewhere. Their food is really good.
BYOB is a city decision
Mass law allows cities to decide whether to grant BYOB licenses and how to regulate them. For whatever reason, Boston refuses to do allow BYOB, even though it would help out its small restaurant owners. This one is an easy one for the new Mayor. The City Council would likely be in favor of it, so all he has to do is wave his magic wand and we could have BYOB.
Well, that sucks.
MeiMei is awesome. Both in their truck format and in their lovely new location. This whole process does seem idiotic. And how did it happen--they got a bazillion signatures only to be told "oops--that doesn't matter." Meanwhile you have goofballs like Todd English playing shell games with their licenses? Ugh.
400 feet from Brookline
where I'd have to think it'd be a lot easier, faster, cheaper to get a license.
In NYC a full liquor license
In NYC a full liquor license costs $5,000. I wonder why a lot of people don't want to do business here?
I hope Mei Mei can find a way
I hope Mei Mei can find a way to move their business to Brookline and tell the city of Boston to shove it up its arse. This is the most infuriating shake-down in all of human history and it's the thing that our new mayor and all the dimwits in the house ought to be able to fix tomorrow. Boston is boring and expensive at least partially because of this criminally stupid regulation.
You did read that this is a
You did read that this is a state-imposed limit, right? Er, I guess not.