Board of License Commissioners approves restaurants, lounges and festivals; Amber Hookah gets stipulations

The Pawtucket Board of License Commissioners approved a slate of license petitions and event requests during its July 9 meeting, including new and renewed victualing and liquor licenses and one-day outdoor expansions for restaurant music and festivals.

The board approved a Class B victualing license and a victualing-house first-class license for Cafe Bistro, Frank Mundo LLC, at 3 Exchange Street (LQB-25-5). Applicant Sam Shore described the bistro as a roughly 1,000-square-foot restaurant with a nine-seat bar and seating for about 40 patrons; Shore said he plans to open evenings initially, with target hours about 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and eventual morning service.

The Amber Hookah Lounge, Amber Hookah Lounge Inc., 590 Newport Avenue (LQB-25-4), was approved with explicit stipulations: weekday closing at 10 p.m. (Sunday–Thursday), weekend closing at 11 p.m. (Friday–Saturday); no amplified music beyond ambient stereo; acoustic live performances only; and parking spaces on the parcel must be painted or marked after consultation with planning to distinguish them from neighboring businesses’ spaces. Applicant Fares Tabchi said the business intends primarily to offer coffee and beer and wine, and that weekdays would close at 10 p.m. and weekends at 11 p.m.

The board approved one-day outdoor expansions and entertainment permits for Cafe Ordway (Neptune Inc.) for three events at 1 Ordway Street: Saturday, July 19 (John Sage band), Friday, July 25 (rock/blues band), and Friday, Aug. 8 (0 Gravity Duo), each from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Owner Thomas Riley confirmed alcohol sold outside would be served in plastic cups and said the events were expected to draw modest crowds.

The board approved a two-day festival and Class D expansion for a community event at 55 Memorial Drive (Amigos de Tercera) for Sept. 5–6, and approved a Cabo Verde festival and outdoor alcohol/food sales for Aloha Restaurant Lounge at 354 Pine Street on July 26 (3 p.m.–8:30 p.m.). The applicant for Aloha estimated roughly 500 attendees across the event duration but said guests would arrive across the day rather than all at once.

Several other routine petitions and consent-agenda license items were taken en bloc and approved, including door-to-door permits, food establishments and waste-hauler registrations (Trinity Solar, Darlington Market, Laundromax, Pawtucket House of Pizzas, Good Samaritan’s Rhode Island, Darlington Mart, Cafe Amore, Brothers Disposal, Waste Management and Elite Truck and Equipment LLC). The clerk confirmed the named applicants were approved under the consent agenda.

The board also received and filed a communication from Captain Dino Georgio of the Pawtucket Police Department concerning patrols conducted at Aloha Restaurant following a July 5 event; the board voted to file the communication and thanked the captain for the patrol.

Votes and conditions: most motions to approve were carried by voice vote or roll call; where the agenda shows second-passage roll calls (city council items later in the meeting) those votes recorded unanimous approvals where indicated. Conditions imposed on the Amber Hookah Lounge are part of the license approval record and were read into the motion.

What this means: the approvals allow the named businesses and events to operate under the licenses and stipulations recorded; the Amber Hookah conditions constrain hours and amplified entertainment, and the clerk will record the parking-marking requirement after coordination with planning.