Restaurants & Bars
Burlington Mall Wants Nine Additional Liquor Licenses
The request to selectmen signals a shift in the shopping mall industry, which is increasingly emphasizing dining over retail.
BURLINGTON, MA -- Burlington Mall owner Simon Property Group will seek as many as nine new liquor licenses for its overhaul of a portion of the property. Simon is converting the space previously occupied by Sears into a lifestyle center" that connects to the main mall with pedestrian access and will feature a mix of retail and restaurant space. So-called lifestyle centers have become popular in recent years, and traditional malls like the Burlington Mall have felt pressure from newer competitors, like Legacy Place in Dedham and the Lynnfield Marketplace.
"This is a critical opportunity for them to invest in the Mall and allow it to adapt and evolve so it can continue to flourish," said Mark Vaughan, a Burlington attorney who handles local governance issues for the mall. Vaughan made his comments at last week's Board of Selectmen's meeting.
The mall is seeking five full liquor licenses and four licenses for beer and wine only. With the rapid rise of online retail over the past two decades, traditional, brick-and-mortar retailers have had to rethink the strategy of using one-stop shopping as the main draw. Now malls are looking to be destinations, where people meet and spend discretional income on dining and entertainment.
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Selectmen will take up the issue again on Sept. 24. At last week's meeting they voiced some reservations about more than doubling the number of liquor licenses currently on the property. Burlington has 25 full liquor license and five for beer and wine service only. Additional licneses would need to be submitted by the town for approval by the state legislature.
"It is not in everyone’s best interests to flood additional licenses into the town and jeopardize what is already invested here," Selectman Robert Hogan said.
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Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).
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