South Boston has room for at least one more market selling beer and wine, board decides

The Boston Licensing Board voted today to let an East 8th Street market begin selling beer and wine, but again cautioned they are going to put more scrutiny on any future requests from South Boston markets to add alcoholic beverages.

The board voted unanimously to let Old Harbor Market, 334 East 8th St., begin selling craft beer and wines between $8 and $25 a bottle. At a hearing two weeks ago, the store's lawyer said it would not displace any existing non-alcoholic items from its shelves.

The board normally votes the day after hearings, but deferred its vote so members could ponder whether South Boston is at a point where it has enough places for residents to purchase alcohol.

Board Chairwoman Kathleen Joyce said today that while the neighborhood as a whole might have gotten to that point, she recognized it's large enough to have several sub-neighborhoods and that the particular area where Old Harbor Market is has yet to be oversaturated with alcohol marts. She added she was impressed by the large amount of e-mail the board received from nearby residents in support of the store's request, as well as by the support from City Councilor Ed Flynn and state Sen. Nick Collins.

Board member Liam Curran agreed, saying that while he is still concerned about South Boston becoming too awash in alcohol, and that he would have listened to "arguments in opposition [to the Old Harbor application], but there just haven't been any."

Old Harbor is the third South Boston market to be granted a license to sell beer and wine in the past year. A fourth market won approval to expand its beer-and-wine offerings to include hard liquor.