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The former Johnny's Beach Club is on the market after the new owners determined too much work was required to open a restaurant there.

Owners Look to Sell Former Johnny's Beach Club Property

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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The Licensing Board had a fairly short meeting on Monday. 
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The plug has been pulled on the proposed Barcelona Tapas and Bar and the owners now plan to sell the Wahconah Street property.
 
Wahconah Street LLC's attorney Jeffrey Lynch told the Licensing Board on Monday that owners no longer plan to open but instead want to improve the 87 Wahconah St. property in hopes of selling it.
 
"It is essentially too rough," Lynch said. "It is in need of a new roof, exterior needs siding work, and the interior, although they started renovation, it needs to be cleaned up more."
 
Suzanne Chung, a partner with numerous restaurants including Jae's Bistro, Vongs, and 7 Winter Grill, and Oscar Amaya had planned to open a Spanish regional tapas restaurant at the former Johnny's Beach Club that they purchased in 2017.
 
Lynch said the all-alcohol license was transferred in 2018 but plans to open this summer were deterred by the condition of the property and it was placed on the market in the spring. It is listed for $295,000.
 
Lynch said they do plan to make improvements to the location to make it more sellable.
 
"At this point, the offers they have received are too low to make it viable for sale," he said. "So the plan is to raise the value of the property and the look of the neighborhood and hopefully find a new buyer."
 
A contractor has been hired and building permits should be pulled in the coming weeks. He said they hope to finish up renovations in October. 
 
Lynch did note if they cannot sell the property, they may come before the board again to inquire about opening it themselves.
 
The Licensing Board only asked to be kept in the loop and that Lynch return to the October meeting to provide another update.
 
In other business, the board approved John Biotta's request for a class II used auto dealer's vehicle license. He plans to sell used vehicles at John's Automotive at 165 Wahconah St.
 
The board also approved MRM Samel's Deli and Catering request to specify where alcohol will be stored on the premises. This is a stipulation of the catering license the restaurant is applying for.
 
The board approved a change of manager request from Chili's Grill & Bar and a request from Berkshire Automotive Repair and Sales for a change of location form 111 West Housatonic St. to 607 West Housatonic Street.

Tags: license board,   restaurants,   

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
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