Proposed Warrant Article Allows Beer and Wine at Wellesley Grocery Stores

Fells Market is formulating a citizens petition to answer a common request he said the market receives: wine to go with dinner.

Attorney David Himmelberger asked the Board of Selectmen to support a proposed warrant article that would allow the town to assign three retail liquor licenses to grocery stores. No decision was made at Monday night's meeting, and it will be discussed at a later meeting.

Licenses would be limited to grocery stores, and limited to malt beverages and wine. Himmelberger explained that this would be closer to how alcohol is currently handled in town, supplemental to food, not stand alone. Applicants would have to provide the ratio of floor area dedicated to alcohol sales versus other retail. The Board of Selectmen would have the final say on all applications.

Proponents say the three licenses match up with Fells Market and the two other large grocery stores in town: Whole Foods Market and Roche Bros. 

"We don’t want to mimic Needham, ." Said Himmelberger, "I don’t think a change of that magnitude is something the town is interested in. The town as a whole--and I may be projecting here--town is more comfortable with a scenario as set forth here."

Needham voted to allow retail liquor stores last year, and had six licenses to give out to businesses. In the end, five of the ten applicants were selected.

Grocery store chains have a limited number of stores which can sell alcohol in Massachusetts, Selectmen Ellen Gibb asked about this limit and how that would apply to the two other stores possibly impacted by the warrant. In the event that the licenses are made available, Himmelberger explained, they could either terminate a license in another town, or wait until 2016, when the number moves from 5 to 7 licenses per chain.

Selectman Don McCauley asked whether the limited number would be anti-competitive to other businesses which may be interested in selling wine and beer in town. The view of those behind the proposed article feel that more than three could encourage more businesses to seek licenses.

The article, with or without the Board's support, could be before Town Meeting for a vote. After that, it would need to be approved by legislators and ultimately to a townwide vote. 

Said McCauley, "It's not exactly going to happen tomorrow. There is a lot of time for consideration for this while we move through process."

The Board will discuss this at a future meeting, when all members of the Board are present.