Salem licensing board hears hours, noise and parking concerns over Axes and Bows liquor-license application; hearing continued to April 28

The City of Salem Licensing Board on April 14 took public testimony and heard an applicant presentation for a new seasonal all‑alcohol liquor and entertainment license for 197 Ford Ave, a proposed restaurant and entertainment venue to operate as Axes and Bows, and agreed to continue the public hearing to its April 28 meeting.

The applicant, represented by attorney Ryan Gosda and co‑owner/proposed manager Gideon Koltop, described Axes and Bows as a family‑oriented, full‑service restaurant with entertainment including up to 15 arcade games, axe‑throwing lanes, tabletop games, a jukebox, background music and limited live music. Opponents, led by the Salem Willows Neighborhood Association and dozens of residents, warned the board that the license would change the historic, family‑oriented character of the Willows, worsen parking and traffic, and increase late‑night noise and public‑safety calls.

The application and why it matters

Willow Walk LLC, doing business as Axes and Bows, asked the board for a seasonal all‑alcohol license and an entertainment/amusement device permit for the ground‑floor space at 197 Ford Ave in the Willows. The applicant estimated the ground‑floor area at about 3,800 square feet and the licensed occupancy at roughly 79 persons (applicant comments also contained other estimates ranging from the high 60s to about 100). The proposed liquor hours on the application originally extended to midnight; attorney Gosda said the applicant typically would close by 10 p.m. most nights and, during the hearing, offered to limit closing to 11 p.m. as a compromise.

Gosda said bartenders would be TIPS/tip‑certified, the build‑out would include soundproofing, and the business had conducted outreach with the mayor’s office and local merchants. He said the applicant had collected “over 800” signatures of support and submitted letters from nearby commercial property owners.

Opposition focused on precedent, safety and neighborhood character

Tom Delaney, attorney for the Salem Willows Neighborhood Association, and association co‑chair Maria Buckley led opposition arguments. They cited Massachusetts statutory standards the board must apply for liquor licensing (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 138, §§12 and 38, as referenced at the hearing) and urged the board to consider whether there is a public need at this location. Delaney said Salem already has dozens of alcohol‑serving establishments and that adding the license would be “precedent setting.” Buckley and other speakers said a bar at 197 Ford Ave would be incompatible with the Willows’ long history as a family‑oriented public park and would bring predictable increases in noise, parking pressure, late‑night traffic and police calls.

Neighborhood presenters provided detailed local concerns: the park and adjacent streets already serve diverse users (day camps, school groups, senior groups and people with limited mobility), parking near the site is limited and often used for municipal needs (including seasonal snow operations), and existing narrow roads (Ford Ave, Memorial Drive) and known speeding create risks when combined with added late‑night alcohol service. Petition counts presented during the hearing were described in multiple ways by opponents: Delaney said he would deliver a petition of “about 2,210” signatures and neighborhood organizers later referenced roughly 2,300 signatories; several speakers emphasized many signatures came from nearby residents.

Supporters and applicant response

Several speakers told the board they supported the application, saying a licensed venue could draw people off the public lawns and into a supervised indoor space, reduce open‑park drinking and add family‑friendly options. Brooke (last name not provided) said she and other young families want more destination options near the Willows. The applicant and owner emphasized experience running a similar venue in Salem (Bitbar) and offered operational commitments: mostly closing by 10 p.m., live music at low volume, a full food menu rather than a bar‑only operation, staff training, and sound‑mitigation measures in the build‑out.

Board procedure and next steps

After public testimony that included more than two dozen speakers and a mix of neighborhood and city officials, the board voted to close the public hearing for tonight’s session and continue consideration of the application to the Licensing Board’s next meeting on April 28, 2025. No final licensing decision was made on April 14.

Why the board’s decision matters

Board members repeatedly framed the issue as a factual licensing question that balances public need, convenience and the “public good” (the legal standard cited during the hearing). Opponents said the Willows’ character and public‑safety strains counsel denial or tighter restrictions; the applicant asked the board to recognize its proposed conditions and local experience operating similar businesses.

What remains unresolved

Key items the board left open for the continued hearing include: the exact licensed hours and any formal hour limits the board will impose; the definitive occupancy number to be recorded on the license; precise entertainment conditions (frequency and volume limits for live music); and mitigation plans for parking and traffic. The board requested submitted materials (petitions, letters, and the videos and documents opponents said they had provided) be reviewed before April 28.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to close the public hearing on the application for 197 Ford Ave and continue consideration to April 28, 2025: motion moved and seconded; hearing continued to April 28 (no final licensing action taken).

Taper

The Licensing Board took testimony from business owners, neighbors and elected officials and signaled it will examine written materials and the applicant’s proposed conditions before issuing a decision. The board did not vote on the license itself on April 14 and will reconvene the hearing on April 28 to receive any further evidence and to deliberate further.