Carla Racine, owner of Bishop’s Lounge at 41 Strong Avenue, asked the Northampton License Commission on July 16 to hold a special licensing hearing in August so her business could meet a tight relocation timeline and potentially reopen in September.

Racine told the commission she had resolved contractual issues with her landlord on July 7 and, after consulting the building and planning departments, discovered the commission does not hold a licensing meeting in August. “I need to move my business to a new address, and I'm asking if there can be the consideration of helping my business get into its new location by having an...emergency meeting or something like that for the licensing commission in August so that I may be able to potentially open my business in September instead of having to wait 2 more months,” she said.

Licensing staff and commissioners explained that a complete application and formal public notices are required before the commission can hold a hearing. Licensing staff said a legal notice publication imposes a 10‑day waiting period after notices are placed in the paper, and that staff must receive a complete application before beginning that process. Commissioners said they were willing to convene an off‑cycle Zoom hearing if the applicant provided a complete submission and staff completed the required notices.

Separately, during the meeting the commission ran a scheduled license lottery with four applicants for one available license (Sub Rosa LLC; Iconica Social Club LLC; PGD Foodie Group Inc. DBA Great Wall; and Labonte Ambanas LLC DBA Toasted). The commission placed four balls in the lottery container and drew ball number 4; the clerk announced file number 4 — Labonte Ambanas LLC DBA Toasted — as the lottery winner. Licensing staff said they would notify the winning applicant about next steps.

Commissioners and staff told Racine they would make themselves available for an off‑cycle meeting when a complete application and the required legal notices are ready, but cautioned the applicant about the procedural timelines.