The owners of the Apollo Restaurant suffered a setback when their bid for a liquor license—intended for a planned function hall in the former Orent Bros. store on Washington Street in Norwood Center—failed on a 2-2 tie vote by the Board of Selectmen.
Owners argued that the license would only be utilized during active functions. However, selectmen Walter Dempsey and Joseph Curran strongly opposed the expansion, voicing long-standing opposition to commercial alcohol on the town’s primary commercial corridor. “I’ve been opposed to booze on the main drag all my life,” Dempsey stated. Conversely, selectmen Thomas Riolo and John Kinnaly voted in favor, with Kinnaly noting, “Knowing the people involved and the way the place is run, I think it would be a good idea and a boon to the town… we definitely need another function room.”
The board agreed to reconsider the application when Selectman William Butters is present to potentially break the deadlock, though Curran noted Butters may face a conflict of interest due to owning a pharmacy that sells liquor. The statutory 30-day decision deadline expires today, prompting the board to consult town counsel regarding a possible extension. Attorney John J. Mulvehill, representing the Apollo’s owners, stated uncertainty regarding future plans for the property if the license is denied. Meanwhile, a separate liquor license application for the Peking Imperial Restaurant, also on Washington Street, was withdrawn by attorney Jack Weber on behalf of owner Sam Choy due to technical application defects and missing architectural plans showing required entrances and exits.
In other municipal business, selectmen granted Analab Inc. of 59 Davis Ave. a permit to store isopropyl alcohol and denatured alcohol for industrial cleaning agents, and formally approved the warrant for a Special Town Meeting scheduled for September 22.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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