Business & Tech

Plans Stalled for New Pub Style Restaurant on Route 1 in Danvers

The owner of the property is in the process of getting updated construction bids, as the project was delayed for months, while at the same time pursuing talks with a national restaurant chain interested in the site.

Plans for a new local restaurant on Route 1 in Danvers have been on a "long and bumpy road," according to an attorney for the project, and delayed for months, first due to a mixup in paperwork and now a national restaurant chain is interested in purchasing Steven Tedesco's liquor license and permits.

Paul Crochiere, an attorney representing Tedesco before the Danvers Board of Selectmen Tuesday night, told the board Tedesco was in the process of acquiring new construction bids while at the same time pursuing talks with the national chain, which had just contacted him within the past 10 days.

The property in question (100 Newbury St.) is on the southbound side of Route 1 (approximately a mile from the Peabody line) in an empty commercial strip mall next to North Shore Granite & Marble, which Tedesco operates. He purchased the entire property in 1999 and the vacant building was constructed in 2000, according to town records.

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Tedesco's initial plans for a family pub style restaurant included 130 seats and 18 stools at the bar. A vacant, 5,000-square-foot unit next to the store would be renovated and he hoped to open in three to four months from when selectmen approved a liquor license transfer last June.

Crochiere explained that while selectmen approved the transfer of an all-alcohol license from the owners of the former Miyako Japanese Steakhouse to Tedesco, the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission apparently never received necessary supplemental paperwork from the town. Even so, the transfer was apparently approved by the ABCC, but then denied in October.

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When the town was alerted to the problem, the paperwork was submitted again and the transfer was approved this past February. Contractors then told Tedesco they couldn't be held to their original project quotes, which were about a year old, according to Crochiere.

And then the new offer came along. Crochiere said the Demakis law firm in Lynn is representing the company, but didn't offer any further details.

The concern now from selectmen is that Tedesco could "pocket" the license and sell it to another business interest without ever having opened his doors at 100 Newbury St. The ABCC, however, has laws that address such behavior.

Typically, the situation occurs when a business decides to close its doors and hold onto the license.

"I would have natural questions if this were to be sold to a national chain without this business having opened," said Selectman Gardner Trask. "I would also be concerned how the ABCC would feel about this."

Selectmen told Crochiere they want Tedesco to appear before them again on Aug. 6 to give another update on the situation.

They also reminded Crochiere they revoked licenses before for long-term inactivity. In 2011, the board revoked a license held by Danversbank after two-and-a-half years passed andthe bank appeared unable to sell off the asset, which was acquired when Tequila's filed for bankruptcy.

As for Miyako's, which was located in the same plaza with the Ann & Hope outlet on Archmeadow Drive, that restaurant shuttered its doors in 2011.

Crochiere declined any further comment on the situation, following the board meeting, telling reporters he wasn't authorized to speak to the press.


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