Mayor Moves To Bring Liquor, Spirits To Melrose Retail Stores

MELROSE, MA — Mayor Gail Infurna is urging the City Council to approve loosening up the liquor laws in Melrose.

Infurna has put forth an order to allow for two of the city's three liquor licenses for retail establishments to sell all alcoholic beverages instead of just beer and wine. Currently the only two licenses in use are owned by Buckalew's and Beacon Hill Wine.

Details, such as what sort of containers would be allowed for sale, are not addressed in the petition. The order does not impact the number of liquor licenses.

Shaking the dust off the liquor laws might take some time — Infurna acknowledges there likely won't be a resolution until after she leaves office in November. With just a couple weeks left in her term, it's a pass at introducing some legislation that would to some extent shake things up downtown.

"Over the past several years, our community has seen an ongoing revitalization in our business districts which has made them thriving centers for retail, dining and recreation," Infurna said in the letter to the City Council.

The order would not impact the city's tight liquor laws at its restaurants — not directly at least, though it may open the door for further changes.

But Infurna indicated in her letter she doesn't intend for this to be a seismic shift. She said in her letter she has requested the Liquor Commission revamp regulations to make sure the expanded liquor laws would be "accomplished in a reasonable and appropriate way, and reflects our historic values as a community."

The City Council meets Monday, Oct. 21 at 7:45 p.m. at City Hall.