Ayer Bar Giveaway Takes Shape, Celtics Cocktail: MA Food Week

MASSACHUSETTS — Welcome to Patch's weekly round up of food and restaurant news in Massachusetts, where we review openings, closings and more in the state's dining scene.

The headline of this week comes out of Ayer, where Reza Rahmani, who owns Bar 25, shared new details about his quest to give away his bar.

Rahmani said the ideal candidate would be someone with a strong concept who can also be on-site to run the place as an owner-operator — something he determined he could no longer be before he closed the doors on the 1920s Speakeasy-style bar on May 31.

He said there were 50 applicants by the deadline that a small committee has since been narrowed to nine semifinalists. After further interviews, he said the plan now is to invite the final four to a public interview at the Bar 25 location in Newburyport on July 9 when the Ayer location will be awarded to the lucky winner.

"We have an idea of how we are going to structure it," he said of the grand finale presentation, which will be done in collaboration with the Phantom Gourmet. "We are trying to tighten it up. None of us have ever done this before. For all of us, it is a new experience."

Read more of that story, and other headlines from around the state, below:

• 'Coolest Thing I Have Ever Done': MA Bar Giveway Plans Come Into Focus
• Taste Of Shrewsbury Street Will Be Hotter Than Ever This Year
• Beer Garden, Music Coming To Solomon Pond Mall
• Celtics Championship Deals, Specials Pop Up In MA: Cheap Eats
• Scoopapalooza Ice Cream Festival Returns To Natick
• Al Horford swarmed by hundreds of Celtics fans during appearance at Raising Cane’s[Boston.com]