Peabody Finalizes Sale Of Lowell Street Location To Brodie's Owner

PEABODY, MA — Peabody has completed the sale of a Lowell Street location to Brodie's Pub in a development that Mayor Ted Bettencourt touted last year as part of a plan to transform the Main Street area into a destination location for both city residents and visitors from throughout the North Shore.

Bettencourt said on Thursday that the sale of No. 10 Lowell Street to Mike Votto had been finalized and all legal documents had been recorded.

"Brodie's has been a local icon in Peabody for over 40 years," Bettencourt said. "Since plans for the new building were unveiled last year, there has been a great deal of excitement and anticipation.

"The new Brodie's continues the revitalization of downtown Peabody."

Bettencourt last February outlined a three-part part plan in that revitalization that included the North Shore Children's Museum, which opened in October, and the development of the Bell Inn and Tavern on Washington Street, which he said is expected to open this upcoming fall.

"Downtown Peabody has come a long way in the last 10 years," Bettencourt said in February 2022. "When I first became mayor, Main Street was little more than a dangerous cut-through for speeding traffic. Storefronts stood empty and there was virtually no nightlife to speak of.

"We still have a way to go to realize our full potential. But the new Brodie's Pub, Peabody Children's Museum and the exciting developments at the O'Shea Mansion represent a tremendous step forward."

In March, the City Council voted to authorize the sale of the city-owned Lowell Street location to Votto, who committed to renovating the pub and restaurant to renew the corner next to City Hall.

The city bought the location in 2018 with plans to build a park when Brodie's planned a move at that time. The move never happened and four years later the city agreed to sell the property back to Votto with the intention that it would be remodeled, adding to the downtown draw and producing more tax income for the city.

The proposed Brodie's Pub renovation would replace the current exterior with a brick one that Votto said will fit better into the surrounding area. He said there are also plans for a glass-covered atrium with a roof and a space for outdoor dining.

He said last winter that the project would take about 12 to 14 months.

"It will clean up the entire corner and be an asset to the downtown," Votto said.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)