EASTHAMPTON – Opportunity is ripe in Easthampton for new or expanding businesses, as the city has started accepting applications for eight new liquor licenses.
Gov. Charlier Barker signed legislation last month granting Easthampton the eight licenses, which are available to restaurants, bars or other establishments for the on-premises consumption of beer, wine and hard liquor. State-level approval was necessary because Easthampton had long since reached its liquor license quota: All of the licenses made available based on the city’s population had been granted.
The request was sent to Boston by the City Council last fall, with the intent on making it easier and more attractive for businesses to open in Easthampton.
“The purpose of getting these licenses was to stimulate economic growth in our business area,” Mayor Karen L. Cadieux said. “We hope there’s a lot of excitement.”
There’s already interest in the licenses among businesses that hold licenses that allow the serving of beer and wine, but not liquor.
Luthier’s Co-Op – guitar store by day, music venue and bar by night – is counting on getting one of the licenses as part of a major expansion.
After next-door neighbor Off the Map Tattoo moves down Cottage Street to the former Majestic Theater in the coming weeks, Luthier’s plans to take over the tattoo shop’s former space.
“That’s where we’re going to look to add a second bar dealing more with cocktails and espresso drinks,” said Luthier’s owner, Steven Baer. “We were already planning the expansion and I’ve been visiting the town officers since March, just keeping tabs on these liquor licenses. It’s coming at the right time.”
The business’ current small space has been among its biggest constraints. With the opening of the new side, Luthier’s will double in size, Baer said.
By mid-September, Baer said he hopes to complete the renovations. The new side will also feature an independently owned kitchen and will be open for food and drink during the day as well as at night. He’s mum on the details of the food component, though he promised “it’ll be good.”
The licenses have also piqued the interest of Village Pizza owner John Papas.
The Union Street pizza shop holds a beer and wine license. Papas said he plans to attend the Licensing Board’s next meeting to learn more about the process.
Xitaly Ruiz, who purchased La Casita Azteca earlier this year, said she’s not sure whether she’ll apply for an all-alcohol license. The Mexican restaurant has a beer and wine license. “We need to check very well about the insurance cost and what the responsibilities of this would be,” she said.
Easthampton Diner and Eastworks also hold wine and malt licenses. Fort Hill Brewery and Abandoned Building Brewery are licensed to serve only malt beverages, while New City Brewery is licensed to sell wine and malt beverages, according to state records.
Those in the business community say the liquor licenses being made available present opportunities for continued economic growth in Easthampton.
“I think it’s an exciting opportunity for economic stimulation, perhaps some new businesses coming into town or new ideas perhaps,” Maureen Belliveau, director of the Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce, said. “There’s a great buzz that’s going on here in Easthampton now.”
Papas, whose family has owned Village Pizza for nearly four decades, said he’s witnessed the positive economic growth in the city. “The need for more liquor licenses as the town expands – and there’s more and more eateries – is definitely a natural progression of things,” he said.
Baer pointed to the fact that if beer and wine licenses such as his are surrendered by those who are granted all-alcohol licenses, they will be made available to other businesses.
“I think the more options for eating and drinking and entertainment in town, it’ll make it more of a destination for people out of town,” he said. “I think there’ll be a lot of applications for those eight licenses.”
The number of traditional liquor licenses that may be issued by a city is determined by its population. Once that number has been met, licenses may only be granted through an act of the state Legislature. Such licenses are referred to as “over quota.”
Owners of businesses such as Art Bar, Galaxy and The Hideaway Lounge decided to go through the process of obtaining over-quota licenses themselves.
Easthampton’s pursuit of eight licenses at once means that months of red tape have been cut out for businesses.
Unlike traditional licenses, over-quota licenses are valid only at the establishments they were originally issued to, though the Licensing Board has the ability to transfer the license to a similar business that opens up in the same location.
The legislation for the eight licenses calls for preference to be given to applicants in the downtown business and mill industrial districts.
Jason Duda, chairman of the Licensing Board, said that doesn’t mean that applicants in other areas will be overlooked. That point was clarified after the board requested an opinion from City Attorney John Fitz-Gibbon.
“We’re just going to take them (applications) one at a time as they come,” Duda said. “The spirit of the language was just to make it known to people in those districts who have a licenses that’s not a full pour license that they can come forward, or someone who is starting a business in those districts … it doesn’t exclude other districts.”
Each application must be weighed on its merits, Duda said. “You can’t say no to someone necessarily if they’ve done everything they’re supposed to do” but they’re not in one of the two districts, he added.
The board will begin considering applications at its Aug. 1 meeting. Those interested in applying should contact board clerk Nicolette Growhoski in the mayor’s office at 529-1470.
Chris Lindahl can be reached at clindahl@gazettenet.com.