Licensing Board Rescinds Johnny's Beach Club Liquor License

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There is one less liquor license in Pittsfield.

On Monday, the Licensing Board voted to rescind Barcelona Tapas and Bar's annual all-alcohol license.  Its former tavern, Johnny's Beach Club, has been closed for a number of years and, in 2019, the owners opted to put it on the market. 

At the board's June meeting, owners were given two months to make a sale or the liquor license would be rescinded. Since then, the front section of the building was demolished after a pickup truck crashed into it and no sale has been made.

Attorney Jeffrey Lynch asked for a continuation, citing the city's efforts to revitalize Wahconah Park and the promise it could have for the area.

"I'm very cautious about the city taking the step to rescind these licenses. There's going to be we hope, a big project to revitalize Wahconah Park. All of these restaurants that you've just heard from tonight are in the downtown arts district, would be very supportive of a revitalized Wahconah ballpark," he said, referencing the number of nearby restaurants who were on the agenda for that night.

"I spoke to my client today, he's still very interested in that area, including the revitalization of Pepe's, we have Tahiti that's going to be looking for a new operator likely.  All of these are within walking distance of Wahconah Park and I think it'd be a shame for the city to lose four liquor licenses that could help continue to support the revitalization."

He reported that the city has ordered for the building to be demolished, which is set to occur next week.

"I was before this board before, the owner of the license had the idea of, or has the idea, of rebuilding with mixed-use restaurant space downstairs, four-unit apartment building above and it was going back to last June where I represented that we were going to be able to have shovels in the ground by this time," Lynch explained.

"For a matter of reasons that I don't really have any excuse for other than building expenses and time, problems with my client, that they haven't been able to fulfill those plans."

He also reported that once the building is demolished, it has to go through the Conservation Commission before being rebuilt because the property is affected by wetlands and the floodplain.

Chairman Thomas Campoli said he hated to make the move, but thought that the license should be rescinded. Members looked back to the minutes where it was stated that the license would be taken at the August meeting if there was no progress.

• The board approved the transfer of Friend's Grille's liquor license to MRK 42 LLC doing business as Seymour Park LLC. It had approved the petition in the winter but there was an issue with the application because the new owner is out of New York. He also had to resubmit paperwork with his full name, Dror David Kahn.
   
• A buyer has purchased the assets of Tito's Mexican Grille but is unable to secure the purchase of the liquor license from its former owners, who are believed to have abandoned the license and moved out of town. He was advised to seek an alternate source for a liquor license and has been able to locate one but cannot file a transfer application with an outstanding license.
  
  The board will send a letter out to the original owners notifying them that they will rescind the license if an action isn't made.

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.