Feb
1
Kelly’s, slowly but surely
Posted by nathanael. Filed Under quality of life, restaurants | 1 Comment
Paul Berkeley, of the Allston Civic Association, on his qualms about Kelly’s that led to the earlier closing time.
“But I think there’s a need to balance quality of life with our businesses. The only thing I objected to was the hours of operation they were seeking. Originally, 3 a.m. was suggested, and we said that would be a disaster for us and for you, too.”
I’m a fairly close neighbor to this property. From my perspective, any business serving food and not alcohol is going to be fixing rather than creating the nightly mini-disasters that tend to roam the neighborhood at those hours.
Berkeley said that at times, he has grown weary of the number of late-night businesses that have sprung up along Harvard Avenue, a significant change from the full-service business district he new [sic] as a child.
“At the licensing board hearing, they always ask, ‘is there a public need,’ but if you look at the law, it says there has to be a public need, but it also should be in the common good. I always feel that that doesn’t get equal footing with consumer demand,” said Berkeley.
I don’t think this block of Harvard Ave is in a position to be making nostalgia-based arguments against prospective non-bar tenants, particularly a local chain like Kelly’s who have a fairly solid reputation. And I certainly don’t think empty storefronts can be viewed as a public need or a common good.
Some of the comments on this post of HM’s from back in 2008 imply these attitudes from the ACA aren’t new, or specific to Kelly’s.
Jan
18
At the Allston Civic Association is meeting this coming Wednesday, one of the agenda items is a possible liquor store going in a 193 Harvard Ave. Presumably this would be sharing the large space that Marty’s used to occupy, rather than as a replacement for the forthcoming Kelly’s. I’m guessing this Glendale Liquors is owned by the same people that took over Best Cellars in Coolidge Corner – it looks like their home store is out in Waltham. Generally speaking I’m happy to have retail in the empty spaces on the block, liquor store or otherwise. And anything to give Blanchard’s a little competition is a good thing.
Jul
23
There’s already singing.
Posted by nathanael. Filed Under bars, music | Leave a Comment
The Allston Civic Association (who inexplicably don’t have a website) nevertheless somehow managed to meet in person last Monday to give approval to the Joshua Tree’s request to start having live music on Wednesdays and Sundays. Expectations about the quality of said music should be held aggressively in check until assumptions based on the clientele’s alcoholic douchbaggery can be proven incorrect.