Council hearing on local option would let Boston beer-and-wine holders swap for nontransferable all‑alcohol licenses

Boston City Councilors and city licensing officials on Sept. 22 discussed a local-option order (Docket 1411) that would let current beer-and-wine license holders convert their licenses to nontransferable all‑alcohol licenses under a 2024 special law amending Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 138.

The hearing, held by the Committee on Government Operations, heard owners from Chinatown, the North End and East Boston describe how access to spirits would improve customer experience and revenue, while licensing staff and the mayor’s office explained the application process, fees and statutory limits.

The change the committee reviewed would allow a Section 12 wine-and-malt licensee to “trade in” that license for a nontransferable all‑alcohol license if the local licensing board holds a hearing and finds public need and the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) approves the category change. The order’s language, as summarized at the hearing, says the conversion does not increase the city’s total quota under section 17 or any special act.

Why it matters: Supporters said the conversion would let small restaurants offer a broader menu and capture additional revenue without raising the city’s overall license cap. Opponents, implicitly identified in the hearing, include owners who previously paid market prices for transferable licenses and worry about losing the asset value and bank pledges tied to those licenses.

Business testimony

Mimi and Jason Chan, owners of Dynasty in Chinatown, told the committee that converting would let them serve Chinese rice…