Five Liquor Stores Coming Soon to Needham

Five stores approved by Board of Selectlmen--approved unanimously, one in a 3-1 decision.

  If you need a nice bottle of wine, there are five places in Needham which will soon be able to oblige.  At last night's Board of Selectmen meeting, the Board discussed all ten of the applications they received and voted on them. At a previous meeting, Selectmen vice-chair Daniel Matthews said that the Board has, "no intention of issuing all six in first round." The Board issued five of them last night.  1257 Highland Avenue, Manager Michael O'Connell "This was a good example of a well thought-out package store in this location," Selectman Maurice Handel commented. "It would support other businesses in the plaza."  The application was unanimously approved. 292 Forest Street. Manager Dave Volante The local farm stand is looking to add …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Selectmen Mulling Ten Liquor Store Applications

Selectmen expect to give out less than the six possible licenses. Hearings planned for Feb. 2.

Selectmen Mulling Ten Liquor Store Applications

Selectmen expect to give out less than the six possible licenses. Hearings planned for Feb. 2.

  Most of the ten applicants for the Needham liquor licenses will be drowning their sorrows in the next few weeks, as only a handful of the six possible licenses are expected to be issued.  The town accepted applications for the town's liquor licenses from Jan. 7 to Jan. 18, and has ten applicants (list below). With approval of the November ballot question, Needham has the ability to issue up to six licenses for the retail sale of beer, wine and liquor in town, with two additional wine and beer licenses available after 2018, for a total of eight. However, Selectmen vice-chair Daniel Matthews said, at their meeting earlier this week, that the Board has, "no intention of issuing all six in first round." Hearings for the ten businesses are …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (1)

Needham Selectmen Approve Liquor Regulations

The Board of Selectmen votes unanimously to approve liquor sales regulations at last night's meeting.

  The sale of liquor in Needham has been approved, and regulations are now in place. Stores will still have to apply before they can start selling. Needham's Board of Selectmen voted Tuesday night to approve an amended version of the town's liquor sales regulations.  "This is town’s first run of this type of license." Selectman David Matthews explained, "This is the kind of thing that we may be able to review in a year." After a brief discussion, the Selectmen voted unanimously on the drafted regulations, which were posted on the Town Website last Friday (see PDF).  Explaining that the meeting was not an open hearing, Matthews added, "This is one step in a long process. We will have more public steps before we issue licenses and businesses…

• Photos (1)
• Documents (1)

Needham Liquor License Applications Coming Soon

If regulations are finalized by mid-December, Board of Selectmen plans to accept applications for liquor licenses in January.

  Needham voted, and the local package store may soon get a bit more local. From Jan. 7 to Jan. 18, the town will accept applications for the town's liquor licenses--officials designated this window the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday. The Board hopes to finish mulling over regulations for alcohol sales licenses by Dec. 18. The window will allow interested businesses to apply, gives the public time to hear who applied, and give the Town time to notice the application hearings. As the licensing board in town the Board of Selectmen will review the applications at future meetings.  On Nov. 6, voters passed a measure to allow liquor sales in Needham. With approval of the ballot question, Needham has the ability to issue up to six licenses for …

• Photos (1)

Needham Passes Alcohol Question, Votes Blue

The town followed the rest of Massachusetts in re-electing President Barack Obama and electing Elizabeth Warren as Senator and Joe Kennedy as Congressman.

  Needham residents soon will be able to buy their wine right here in town. By an overwhelming margin, local voters approved the only question on the Nov. 6 special town election ballot—whether Needham should issue licenses to businesses to sell wine, beer and liquor in town. In the end, 12,181 Needham residents voted yes on the measure, while 4,636 residents voted no. With approval of the ballot question, Needham has the ability to issue up to six licenses for the retail sale of beer, wine and liquor in town, with two additional wine and beer licenses available after 2018, for a total of eight. Needham selectmen will be holding a public hearing later this month to consider regulations for alcohol sales licenses, and each license applicant…

•  1 Comment
• Photos (8)

Board Mulls Alcohol Sale Regulations

If the measure passes in Needham on Nov. 6, selectmen will hold a public hearing on the rules later that month.

Though voters haven't yet decided whether Needham should allow the sale of wine, beer and liquor, selectmen have begun considering a list of regulations for if the special election question passes on Nov. 6. Town Manager Kate Fitzpatrick put together a draft of proposed regulations and suggested the board bring the rules before the public at a hearing in early November, after the election. If the ballot question passes on Nov. 6, Needham selectmen could issue up to six licenses for the retail sale of beer, wine and liquor in town, with two additional wine and beer licenses available after 2018, for a total of eight. Fitzpatrick said she and her staff had culled the list of proposed regulations from about a dozen other communities that …

• Photos (1)

Should Alcohol Be Sold In Needham?

Voters will decide on Nov. 6, but what do you think now?

On Nov. 6, Needham voters will decide whether to lift the town's status as a mostly dry town—a position the community has maintained, more or less, since before the days of Prohibition. The question on Needham's Nov. 6 special election ballot asks: Shall the licensing authority in the town of Needham be authorized to grant licenses for both the sale of all alcoholic beverages in packages not to be drunk on the premises and the sale of wine and malt beverages in packages not to be drunk on the premises? Voters will decide: Yes or no. If the ballot question passes, Needham selectmen would have authorization to issue up to six licenses for the retail sale of beer, wine and liquor in town. After 2018, the board could issue up to eight licenses…

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Alcohol Sales Question Set For Special Nov. 6 Ballot

Selectmen voted Tuesday to hold a special election on the same day as the Presidential Election.

Needham voters will have quite a few decisions to make come November, including whether or not to lift the town’s longstanding “dry” status. With the state ballot already full, selectmen voted Tuesday, Sept. 18 to hold a special election on Nov. 6 that would include the alcohol sales question. The question—which asks if the town should be allowed to grant licenses to businesses for the retail sale of wine, beer and liquor—received state approval in August but was not placed on the state ballot because the slate was already full, Board of Selectmen chairman Jerry Wasserman said. Instead, if the town chose to proceed, selectmen had to authorize a special election and a second ballot would be drafted. In addition, a separate table of …

• Photos (3)

Alcohol Sales Question May Be On November Ballot

Selectmen voted to bring the issue before Needham voters at the Presidential Election on Nov. 6, contingent upon the legislature's approval.

Needham voters could be deciding as early as this November whether to allow wine and beer to be sold at local shops. The Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 on Tuesday, July 10 to place the issue on the Nov. 6 Presidential Election ballot, contingent upon timely approval of the town's petition to the State Legislature. The home rule petition was approved by a two-thirds vote at Needham’s 2012 Annual Town Meeting on Wednesday, May 9 and forwarded to the State Legislature for review. If approved by the legislature, and then at the local ballot box, the measure would allow selectmen to issue up to six licenses for retail sale of wine, beer or all alcohol in Needham, with two additional licenses, for a maximum of eight, allowed by 2018. Selectmen …

• Photos (1)