Councilors Say 'No Question' Amber Room Has Turned Into a Nightclub

It started out so good, but just went south in recent weeks -- that was the sentiment shared by city councilors Thursday night at Stonewood Tavern's presence in South Peabody.

They said there's "no question" restaurant owner Sal Palumbo has turned an adjoining function room into a nightclub called the Amber, despite assurances to the contrary this summer when the Amber Room opened.

"It was doing well for a long time and then went completely south," said Ward 1 Councilor Barry Osborne. He said there is "no doubt" Palumbo has lost the goodwill of the council and the neighbors.  

In recent weeks, the complaints have poured in from neighbors over loud music blaring from Amber, large bands and cars coming and going at 1 a.m. from the restaurant at 139 Lynnfield St., said Osborne.

One family who lives down Lynnfield Street told him their windows were rattling the music was so loud.

"You went wild over there. Wild," said Councilor-at-Large Anne Manning-Martin. She told Palumbo, who quietly watched the council proceedings but did not speak publicly, she feels he's someone the city needs to keep "on a short leash" in the future.

"It's clearly a nightclub," she said, noting are two bars in the function room, a stage and eight- to 10-piece bands that regularly play gigs.

Something else that alarmed councilors were the promotional advertisements and website created for the Amber Room -- they portrayed it akin a nightclub, said Osborne. And there were cover charges on weekends.

Osborne said the problems didn't start until three or four weeks ago, when he was first contacted by neighbor Ann Trainor, who has since filed a petition with the council signed by 10 other residents.

"Lynnfield Street is a residential area, not Route 1. When they originally came before the City Council they made it sound like it would be a restaurant with a quiet jazz band. It is nothing like that. If they want a nightclub they need to find a place on Route 1. It does not belong here," wrote Trainor.
 
Councilors agreed it's a far cry from the classic jazz trios they envisioned when Palumbo first received his special permit for the restaurant two years ago. Osborne stopped by the Amber Room himself three weeks ago and was met with a loud, club-like atmosphere, he said.

Osborne said he's spoken with Palumbo multiple times now and is assured he's committed to resolving the issues. Palumbo was in Italy when the problems started a few weeks ago, Osborne said, and will severely curtail the number of live shows, although he still wants approval for a band.

"I’m not forgiving him for what happened and it went really south, but he is here and willing to face what happened and work on it," said Osborne. Other councilors likewise thanked Palumbo for personally coming down to City Hall.

"Sal's a good businessman, but maybe along the way he lost touch of what was going on there," said Ward 5 Councilor Dave Gamache.

The matter before councilors Thursday was a proposed amendment to the existing live entertainment license that would add karaoke, a DJ and floor shows, such as magicians, hypnotists, comedians, painting nights, dance lessons, etc.
   
That still didn't address the main problem -- the language in the entertainment license the council initially granted Palumbo was too open-ended, never specified how big a band was allowed and lists general genres of music, said Osborne. He wants to work on that.

The existing license allows live entertainment Monday to Wednesday 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. and 11 a.m. - 12:30 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. It merely says live music -- jazz, acoustic, American songbook classics and classical -- will be performed by professional musicians and at times a vocalist.

The council agreed to let Palumbo withdraw his request without prejudice Thursday night in order for Osborne to meet with the city solicitor, Palumbo and neighbors and re-craft the license to everyone's satisfaction.

Councilors also approved a motion under emergency preamble from Ward 6 Councilor Barry Sinewitz, who didn't believe Palumbo ever properly obtained approvals for the Amber Room, for police to stop by Friday and Saturday to check whether any live shows were happening.

Osborne later told Peabody Patch he checked with city officials and they were satisfied Palumbo went through the proper procedures in obtaining permits.

Manning-Martin also believed there was a violation of the liquor license and councilors approved a motion to have the Licensing Board review the situation. The board has to approve the initial layout of the establishment, in regard to alcohol, and any significant changes that are made.

Manning-Martin says the plans she sees on file with the city depict an entirely different scene -- mostly dining tables and chairs -- than what exists now in the Amber Room.

Palumbo told reporters afterward he would try to work out all the issues raised and eventually come back to the council with an agreeable solution. He acknowledged there have been bands and entertainment, as well as party functions, in the Amber Room.

"What is considered a nightclub?" he responded when asked if he was in fact operating a nightclub as councilors claimed.