Hundreds of liquor licenses could soon be added to the City of Boston, and it’s not only a question of who gets to serve a drink – it’s addressing a longstanding issue of equity and accessibility.
At the corner of Blue Hill Avenue and Brunswick, Andre Williams is hard at work serving up Jamaican specialties. The small business owner opened Cool Sade back in 2022 and while he’s built up a robust customer base, an alcohol license would be a pathway to even greater opportunities.
STAY IN THE KNOW
 |
Watch NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are. |
 |
Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters. |
“An alcohol license would definitely bring more people, give us more business in the community,” said Williams.
But making that dream a reality is no easy task. Alcohol licenses are tough to come by, can become expensive and have often failed to reach areas of Boston with more diverse populations.
Get top local stories in Boston delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Boston's News Headlines newsletter.
Rep. Christopher Worrell is looking to change that by championing 205 new licenses that would target specific neighborhoods like Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plan and East Boston.
Worrell’s bill passed out of the House with stipulations that these licenses would remain in the intended communities.
“If you opened up a restaurant and got awarded one of these liquor licenses and closed down, it goes back to the city, but it stays within the zip code,” said Worrell.
Politics
The idea is encouraging for business owners like Andre, who hopes to claim one of those initial licenses and add even more Jamaican flare to his restaurant.
“We’ll build a bar, have a licensed bartender,” said Williams, “We love mixed drinks. I’m from Jamaica so we do a lot of mixed drinks.”
The bill still has several steps before going into effect, including passage out of the Senate, a signature from Governor Healey and implementation from Boston City Hall.
