Quincy approves liquor license for 95 Franklin Street restaurant after neighborhood objections; board to check in after six months

The Quincy City Board of License Commissioners on Sept. 9 voted 5–0 to grant an all-alcohol restaurant license to Topu (doing business as Tofu) Management LLC for premises at 95 Franklin Street, approving the application with a commitment to a six-month compliance check by city inspectors.

The application, presented by attorney Chun Li for the applicant, asked for a seven‑day all-alcohol restaurant license for a street-level, approximately 2,100-square-foot restaurant with about 20 seats, a sushi bar, kitchen, restrooms and prep and storage areas. The proposed manager is Zhi Wen Zhu.

Neighbors at the hearing raised objections related to notification, parking and potential neighborhood impact. Tom (identified in the record as a resident of President's Crossing Condominium, Unit 303) told the board he and other condo residents had not been notified in advance and expressed concern the restaurant would add parking pressure and noise. Lorraine McLaughlin, who said she lives at 8787 Franklin Street, Unit 301, told the board she overlooks the restaurant and questioned whether on‑street parking was as available as the applicant described and whether the restaurant’s hours would change.

Chun Li, counsel for Tofu Management LLC, and the applicant’s representative said the restaurant is principally a small dinner‑service establishment with no change in hours (closing at 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. at the latest). The applicant said they have five dedicated parking spaces adjacent to the restaurant and would discourage use of the adjacent Dunkin’ Donuts parking. The applicant said the business originally operated under family ownership earlier in 2024 and that the current owner maintained the same manager and most operations when taking over. Chun Li also said they had consulted Councilor Minton, who told them a neighborhood meeting was not required.

Board members debated the matter at length. One commissioner said he sympathized with small local businesses that may need alcohol service to survive and expressed willingness to allow the applicant an opportunity to operate with the license, noting the licensing board can revisit the matter if problems arise. A motion to approve the request carried in a roll-call vote: five in favor, none opposed. The board directed inspectors to conduct a six-month check-in to assess any impacts in the neighborhood.

The license granted includes authority to serve alcoholic beverages on the premises under the standard terms for an all-alcohol restaurant license; the board recorded no immediate special conditions beyond scheduling the six-month inspection. Board members and the applicant agreed that last call would be set about one hour before closing.