The Boston Globe is reporting that the City of Boston’s licensing board voted unanimously to approve a Total Wine & More at the South Bay. Some critics had voiced their concerns about this new location potentially posing a threat to to small local package stores in the neighborhood in addition to the fact it’s a stone’s throw away from Mass + Cass. center of Boston’s opioid crisis.
The new Total Wine will replace a shuttered Office Max at the South Bay Shopping Center.
Kathleen Joyce, chairwoman of the Boston Licensing Board, said during Thursday’s hearing that although the concerns of the neighborhood are legitimate she didn’t think the new Total Wine would make the area of Mass + Cass any worse.
“When this board denies a license, our denial must be supported by evidence, or our denial could be deemed arbitrary and capricious and could be overruled. A neighborhood’s opinion and concerns are certainly important, but standing alone they are insufficient to deny a license,” Joyce said according to the Globe.
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Maureen Dahill is the editor of Caught in Southie and a lifelong resident of South Boston sometimes mistaken for a yuppie. Co-host of Caught Up, storyteller, lover of red wine and binge watching TV series. Mrs. Peter G. Follow her @MaureenCaught.
Very disappointed with board giving them a license for that store . As resident of South Boston and living with in a mile from South Bay , to put a liquor store that size is just asking for trouble .
I’m sure board listened to the tax payers who do pay for them to cushy jobs , and still turned their back on the three major communities that this is going to effect .
As a local business owner I can’t understand how a massive Liquor store will help the situation at Mass & Cass. Now they will add more alcohol to the already issue ! I’ve been in several Total Wine stores and theft is extremely easy.
I think it will be a great to put a store of that size in Boston. Listen If people wanna drink their gonna drink! It dosen’t matter if that store is there or not. People seem to complain about any & everything. You wonder why people say there isn’t a lot in Massachusetts like other states. The store is only offering us a wide variety of all kinds of drinks. It can’t control the way people act up in or around the area. So why should the people like me who appreciate a store like that be punished for the unruly.
I’m looking forward for total wine to open I’m always shop there and it will be more convenient for alot of people that also shops there instead of driving to Everett or braintree