Community Corner
Selectmen Give District Convenience an Ultimatum
Board of Selectmen will revoke District Convenience's liquor license if the store does not open by April 14, following a number of problems surrounding the store.
During Thursday's meeting, the Dedham gave an ultimatum for: open by April 14 or have its liquor license revoked.
Members of the board were displeased that District Convenience after receiving a liquor license almost a year ago. The board is still trying to understand the status of the license.
“We are anxious to have the shop in Dedham Square open,” said Selectman Mike Butler.
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Butler explained that usually when the board grants businesses their liquor licenses they will begin selling liquor fairly quickly. He said that when the license isn’t used in a timely manner, the board will intervene and monitor the situation while working with the license holder.
Store Owner Perry Makarios said a series of unforeseen problems have deterred his shop's opening. Most recently, building inspectors noticed that condensation drains were made of PVC piping. Makarios needs to replace more than 60 feet of PVC piping with copper piping, an expensive and time-consuming task. The owner said that the majority of construction has been completed, other than ripping out the old piping and replacing it with copper. He believes the project will be finished in the next few weeks.
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The liquor license was awarded on June 8, 2010. Selectman Carmen DelloIacono wants a realistic timeline on the store's opening.
“We like to stay on top of things. To be honest with you, this is a very long time to be out of the loop for something voted on in June,” DelloIacono told the storeowner.
Makarios said that he wants the store opened more than anybody, but is worried about costs. The piping alone will cost him $3,000. If much more time goes by, he said will simply run out of cash.
“I can only bleed so much,” Makarios told selectmen.
Chair Sarah MacDonald empathized with Makarios' situation, but said that the opening needs to move along.
“We are not trying to be overly punitive, but we want to stay on top of things,” MacDonald explained.
Makarios said he's just as frustrated with the process as much as the board is, but that there have been variables along the way that he just can’t control.
“When you run into an inspection problem, you can’t even put anything into the store,” said Makarios.
The storeowner plans to have the store opened before the selectmen's April 14 deadline.
“This has got to get going,” said Selectman DelloIacono. “I want you open. Everybody does.”
