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Marlborough board hears public testimony on proposed off-premise liquor license at 116 Broad Street; record unclear on outcome
Summary
At a Dec. 18 Marlborough Licensing Board meeting, applicant Carrie Almeda sought a new off-premise liquor license for 116 Broad Street, citing a 15-year business history and a customer base of Brazilian, Spanish and Haitian immigrants; a nearby store owner opposed the application, and the transcript does not clearly record the board's final disposition.
The Marlborough Licensing Board held a public hearing on Dec. 18 on an application for a newly issued off-premise liquor license at 116 Broad Street. Applicant Carrie Almeda told the board her store has operated for nearly 15 years and, after moving to a larger location, she seeks an off-premise license to sell wines and beer that serve primarily Brazilian, Spanish and newly arrived Haitian customers.
During the hearing, a nearby store owner, Tony Sparano, told the board his family has operated a liquor store in the neighborhood for about 40 years and raised concern about proximity (he said the proposed license would be about 18–19 feet from his business) and market saturation. Supporters who spoke, including a resident named Nicole, asked that their support be placed on the record. Brian Levy and others described product lines and said the applicant's store offers a wide selection of wines catering to immigrant customers.
Board members acknowledged the applicant's renovated store and product mix but repeatedly returned to whether issuing this scarce, newly issued license would best serve Marlborough's economic-development goals and the broader public interest, noting multiple existing liquor stores within a roughly one-mile square area. The transcript contains language indicating a motion and the phrase "Motion denied," but the provided record is ambiguous about whether the board formally approved, denied, or took another action on the 116 Broad Street application. The board also discussed awaiting the mayor's promulgated rules on outside seating from the city solicitor and said members would review that draft when it arrives.
Because the transcript does not state a clear final disposition for the off-premise license in the record provided, this article reports the hearing content and the ambiguity in the record rather than asserting a definitive outcome.
The board moved on to other administrative matters after the hearing, including a brief discussion of site-plan review activity on Maple Street and approval of minutes for the previous meeting.
