Published in the October 18, 2017 edition
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The number of liquor stores in town will not be expanding after Town Meeting shot down a proposal that would have done just that Monday night.
Warrant Article 12 sought to expand the number of liquor licenses for restaurants and liquor stores by petitioning the state Legislature. The article requested an additional five liquor licenses for restaurants along with one all-alcohol package store license.
Selectmen Chairman Chris Barrett said the town does not have any all-alcohol package store licenses available and only one restaurant and bar license available because “we are up against the state limit for those type of licenses.”
“The town has received interest in the package store license from an existing business that currently holds a beer and wine license,” said Barrett. “The additional restaurant and bar licenses will be available to service potential establishments or to upgrade the current holders of beer and wine licenses to all-alcohol. The Board of Selectmen sees this as an opportunity to continue to grow the town’s meals tax revenues.”
Benjamin Weiner, 900 Lynnfield St., made a motion to remove the package store liquor license increase from Article 12. He co-owns liquor stores in the Greater Boston area, and is a former president of the Massachusetts Package Stores Association. He said the town only has three liquor store licenses because of state law, which he said is determined by the town’s population.
“The three families who own the three liquor stores in Lynnfield made very sizable payments for their licenses when they purchased them from their previous owners,” said Weiner. “Their investments represent their future and their families’ future. They should not be compromised to allow an existing grocery store add another department.”
Weiner said “A major reason why people still come to these small businesses is because they have something that other beer and wine stores do not.”
“That is a spirits selection,” Weiner continued. “They work incredibly long hours and do their best to remain viable employers, pay Lynnfield taxes and remain supportive of the local community. America was built on competition, but we should always try to be fair. Lynnfield has enough liquor stores and we should not be in the business of hurting local independent businessmen to increase profits of large national chains. If a prospective buyer would like to buy an all-alcohol license, they should do it the way the three businessmen did it and the way I did it by investing in their future and buying an existing license.”
Town Administrator Jim Boudreau said the selectmen brought Article 12 to Town Meeting after a local business requested the all-alcohol license. He said the additional liquor store license “would provide choice and competition for the residents of Lynnfield.”
“It’s as simple as that,” said Boudreau. “This would provide an additional establishment for people to get all-alcohol, provide competition and maybe lower prices. It would be convenient for people shopping for alcohol. That was the reason for the board bringing it to Town Meeting. The all-alcohol restaurant licenses is an economic development item. We have seen our local meals tax go from $50,000 to over $600,000 since we added MarketStreet and those restaurants.”
A woman in attendance inquired if Donovan’s Liquor license will soon become available since Herb Chambers recently purchased the property. Boudreau said the owner of Donovan’s Liquor is looking to relocate the store.
In response to a question from the same woman, Boudreau said Whole Foods Market is interested in obtaining a liquor license.
“They currently have a beer and wine license,” said Boudreau.
Weiner’s amendment was approved by Town Meeting. A motion to reconsider the change also passed, preventing the issue from being discussed again.
Subsequently, Town Meeting voted to approve Article 12, which will still authorize the selectmen to petition the state Legislature for the five additional restaurant liquor licenses.
