Package Store License Cut from Special Town Meeting

FOXBOROUGH, MA — Residents at next month’s Special Town Meeting will not have a chance to vote on an additional all-alcohol package store license for the Route 140 area.

Tuesday night, the selectmen voted 3-2 to remove Article 16 from the warrant. Ashish Raval, who owns Foxborough Plaza beer and wine seller Hops and Grapes, was slated to receive the license. Chairman David Feldman and Chris Mitchell voted against the removal.

The vote continues what has been a back and forth on the proposed license, which was originally part of a larger request for last spring’s Annual Town Meeting before it was removed at the request of other license holders in town.

Lorraine Brue of the Economic Development Committee said her board voted unanimously against the license, telling the board that an additional license would devalue the current licenses while noting that Foxboro Wine and Spirits, who recently spend $500,000 to upgrade their location, is only a mile away in the Center of Town

“What changed is that the Economic Development Committee had not heard the response from the existing store owners. When that information came forward, it was brought forward and they presented their information. Based on that information, the Economic Development Committee requested that the license be removed from the warrant,” Brue said.

Feldman said the license needs only 10 registered voters to be placed on the Annual Town Meeting warrant.

“If this is so bad, let’s put it to the voters and let them decide,” he said. “It’s been said it will devalue (other licenses) but I haven’t seen any data. It’s an existing license, they’re always competing.”

Town Manager Bill Keegan said he also hasn’t seen data that says another license would devalue the other licenses.

“The license holder who requested the license indicated that many people come from outside of Foxborough off of 140 and 95,” Keegan said. “I know (Foxboro Wine and Spirits) is worried about the downtown but the town is focused on developing the center of town. That will help his business grow.”

Selectman Ginny Coppola wanted to know why the owner of Hops and Grapes didn’t purchase a full package store license when one became available years ago

“The person at downtown put a lot of money into upgrading his license. We can have five nail places in town, we can have six pizza houses, but not everyone can decide to have a liquor license. I think if you do this license, you’re cutting into that regulated pie,” Coppola said.

But that’s an argument that doesn't hold up, according to Hops and Grapes attorney Peter Clark, who told the board they have a petition with 300 people who would like to see the store get a full license.

“They’re not going to downtown. You have a new hotel that will open next year. Since the process was discussed, you have 250 apartments built at the Lodge. You have the new apartments proposed for behind the Ninety-Nine. You have people coming from the highway, they can go to Mansfield Crossing, they can go to Route 106, or they can do business in Foxborough,” Clark said.

Attorney Mark Stopa, who represents several current license holders in town, said Route 1 Liquors has seen a decline in business since Trader Joe’s open at Patriot Place.

“If anyone thinks business goes through the roof when 70,000 people come to down, you are seriously mistaken. Why? If you are in traffic, you’re not going to pull off. There is no parking,” Stopa said.

The Special Town Meeting is slated for Dec. 5 at Foxborough High School.

Image: file photo