Two new liquor laws come before voters this spring
Published on March 7th, 2001
STONEHAM, MA - Stonehamites can buy booze at 17 spots around town, and two Main Street businesses are asking residents to ease the requirements on selling alcohol.
Stoneham Theatre wants to serve cocktails to the theatre crowd, and Angelo’s Restaurant wants to offer folks wine with their dinner.
The sole question on the April 3 Town Election ballot asks citizens to approve a reduction in the required seating for restaurant liquor license eligibility from 100 or more to 50 or more seats. An article on the May Town Meeting asks citizens to send a proposal to the State Legislature asking that theaters with more than 300 seats (read Stoneham Theatre) be allowed to sell alcohol.
Both proposals are defined by state law as special acts. A special act goes first to Town Meeting. This is where the Stoneham Theatre act is heading. The meeting votes whether to send the proposal to the State Legislature. If the act does go to the Legislature and then wins approval from both Houses and the Governor, then the proposal appears on the local election ballot for a final decision. This is the status of Angelo’s proposal.
Proponents say that the current laws are arbitrary and that the changes will bring more business into the downtown area and add spice to the lives of residents.
“Angelo’s doesn’t have as many seats but his food is just as good, so why can’t he serve alcohol?” asks Charles Houghton. Houghton is the attorney for both Angelo’s owner Sal Caruso and Stoneham Theatre owner Al Symes.
Opponents argue that easing requirements on liquor sales will send the wrong message to youngsters and place Stoneham on a slippery slope toward barroom brawls.
“If 50, why not 25... the barbershop will be serving drinks,” Selectman Cosmo Ciccarello only half joked.
Ciccarello said that easing alcohol licensing while preaching to young people to avoid drunk driving and underage drinking feels hypocritical to him.
“It’s a quality of life thing,” Ciccarello said.
Houghton disagreed with the “slippery slope” theory, arguing that Selectmen would retain strict local control over alcohol regulations. For example, food — and meals not just bar snacks — must be served per Stoneham regulations.
“The restaurant would be a restaurant and the theater a theater; there wouldn’t be any bars,” Houghton said.
He said that ever since the town voted in the 1970s to allow restaurant liquor licenses — a proposal which took three ballots to pass — the Selectmen have done a good job regulating liquor.
“Selectmen designate what area, what’s served, what time... it’s worked well for 20 years,” Houghton said.
Quality of life enters the battlefield from both fronts: Houghton argues that eased requirements will help local businesses to offer the Stoneham people a more urbane existence. And Ciccarello warns that urbane can become urban pretty fast as other businesses gripe “what about me.”
Where the booze is
Clubs: Bear Hill Golf Club at 5 North St., the Marconi Club at 47 Pine St., the VFW at 89 Hancock (in transition), the American Legion at 11 Common St., the Redmen at 11 Franklin St. and the Elks at 471 Main Street.
Package stores: Center Beverage at 425 Main St., McDonough’s at 9 Central St., Rapid Liquors at 171 Main St. and Redstone Liquors at 109 Main St.
Restaurants (beer and wine only): Papa Gino’s at 190 Main St.
Restaurants (full liquor license): China Moon at 170 Main St., Felicia’s at 423 Main St., the Ground Round at 107 Main St., J.J. Grimsby’s at 301 West Wyoming Ave., Gaetano’s at 271 Main St. and the Montvale Plaza at 54 Montvale Ave.
According to Community Development Director Steve Sadwick, all the above restaurants comply with the 100 or more seat requirement.
BYOB
A longstanding yet informal Stoneham policy allows restaurant patrons to bring their own alcohol to accompany dinner in some restaurants without liquor licenses.
“If no one complains, the Town allows the practice,” said one Stoneham official who asked to remain anonymous.
Angelo’s and the Anchor Seafood restaurant formerly on the Felicia’s site allow folks to bring their own alcohol. (The previous statement is not intended to be a complete list of BYOB sites, just two examples.)
The people can decide their own fate at the Town Election in April and Town Meeting in May.
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