The Licensing Board approved the transfer to the owners of the Hot Dog Ranch on Monday.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Hot Dog Ranch is looking to move into the former Jimmy's Restaurant location on West Housatonic Street.

 

The Licensing Board approved the transfer of a liquor  license to DBM Ranch Inc. on Monday and the owners are hoping to relocate the Hot Dog Ranch from its Linden Street location to the vacant restaurant. The company bought the liquor license at auction.

 

"We are currently under contract to sell the building," said attorney Thomas Martin, who represented the Hot Dog Ranch at Monday's meeting. "The Hot Dog Ranch would relocate to West Housatonic Street."

 

The building has a total occupancy of 99 people and the plans would be to serve 35 people at the bar and 52 in the dining area. The rest of the occupancy would be for staff and take out orders. 

 

"We're also constructing a new main entrance way," Martin said. 

 

Should the Linden Street property sale fall through, Martin said the owners would continue to operate the Hot Dog Ranch at its current location and open a new restaurant — not a Hot Dog Ranch — in the West Housatonic Street building. Jimmy's closed in March.

 

The Hot Dog Ranch currently has two locations — the Linden Street one and one in North Adams. Martin said the company secured funding to consolidate the loans existing for those two businesses and then purchase and build out the new 3,800 square-foot location. 

 

The liquor license was approved to extend until 2 a.m. but the business only plans to stay open that late on special events. Mostly the restaurant will be open until 10 during the week and 11 on the weekends. The new restaurant wouldn't open until February 2016, Martin said.

 

"We're not going to be open until 2 a.m. every night," Martin said.

 

There was some debate, however, on whether or not the Licensing Board could approve the later hour when the business isn't going to be open. Chairman Carman Massimino said if the license is approved until 2 a.m. then the restaurant needs to be able to serve customers until that late. Board members Dana Doyle and Richard Stockwell disagreed saying they business can have the option to stay open or close.

 

"Constantly changing hours, I think, is an inconvenience," Massimino said, adding that it isn't good business practice to close earlier than customers expect.

 

Martin, however, said the hours will not be constantly changing but instead when there are special events, such as the Super Bowl or New Year's Eve, the company would like the ability to choose to stay open late. 

 

Ultimately, the license was approved until 2 a.m.