NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A new restaurant will be opening in the Hotel Downstreet this summer. 

 

Door Prize, which previously had operated as a pop-up at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, was approved for a full liquor license this week. 

 

Bryan "Swifty" Josephs and Jenny Klowden told the License Commission on Tuesday that they will be serving up "European comfort food." 

 

"So that means we're doing a lot of Eastern European stuff, so pierogies, stuff like that, but all the way to like Spanish food, paellas, things like that," said Klowden. "It's going to be also just lunch and dinner service to start. We're doing three days of lunch, which is Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and then dinner service Thursday through Saturday.

 

Josephs said they will be expanding service as they staff up and eventually offer dinner five or six nights a week and, by next summer, midweek lunch service as well. 

 

"We would like to apply for a full liquor license for cocktails, beer and wine to serve the hotel guests and the community," he said. "A restaurant with drinks with has a small bar in it, but focus on the restaurant food."

 

Door Prize will also offer a large non-alcohol beverage section, "because that seems to be the way things are going lately," said Klowden, and will have a heavy bar menu late night.

 

The license was approved for 10 a.m. to midnight only for the restaurant and the patio; Klowden noted that the function room and lobby was under the hotel's control and the restaurant would not be providing room service. 

 

The couple noted they had had a successful eight-month run at Mass MoCA in 2022 with a wine and beer license. They were ready to run a full-service restaurant again but will continue their catering business. 

 

Door Prize is hosting a Mother's Day buffet brunch on Sunday, May 11, as a preview; later this week, the couple said they expected to open in mid-June once their liquor license is approved by the state. 

 

• The function room and lobby at Hotel Downstreet will host a gathering of technology company employees on Monday. Mel Karakaya, representing Lina Hospitality LLC/Plates Mediteranean Bistro in Williamstown, was approved for one-day event liquor license on May 5 from 5 to 9 p.m.

 

"They will be having their dinner at Hotel Downstreet on Monday night [provided by Door Prize] and Plates, my restaurant, will be doing their dinner at Mass MoCA on Tuesday night," said Karakaya. She was doing the bar service on Monday since Door Prize did not yet have a license; the museum has its own liquor license. 

 

She estimated about 140 people would be attending, and then would be going to Porches, where she general manager. 

 

• Roots Teen Center, represented by Jesse Sweeney and Suzy Helme, was approved for one-day license for a fund raiser at 51 Ashland St. on Saturday from from 6 to 10 p.m. Helme said it was limited to 21 and older and carding would occur at the door. Bright Ideas Brewing was the beverage supplier.

 

• Bright Ideas Brewing was approved to serve beer during the SteepleCats' home games. The license runs from one hour before game starts and Connor McKenzie Johnson, representing Bright Ideas, said they stop serving at the end of the sixth inning or 9:30 p.m. He also confirmed that players in uniform are not served, customers are ID'd and given wristbands, and that the servings would be cans, with drafts as backups. 

 

The board voted to accept rain dates by email. 

 

• Dan Propati and Neil Dingow of Sweet Hospitality Group of New York City were approved for one-day licenses in July and August at the old Price Chopper on State Road and Peter W. Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Skating Rink on Church Street. 

 

The beverages will be served during performances by the Williamstown Theatre Festival, which purchased the supermarket building and is transforming one section into a black box theater. That portion, most recently a Rent-A-Center, was already approved by the Planning Board.

 

The commissioners had some concerns about the outdoor serving on State Road but Propati said, "we have no seating or wandering, it's typically going to be they're going to be able to bring their drinks directly into the theater."

 

Service will start about 30 minutes before the curtain goes up and will be similar to how the '62 Center serves outside the door in Williamstown. 

 

"Next year there are plans to extend the renovation into the old food mart, so that would be the box office, the concessions bar and dressing rooms and stuff in the next phase for next year," he said. 

 

The licenses were approved for 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. at State Road and noon to 11 at the rink. They confirmed that they would have managers at both sites and have to provide proof of insurance to use the public rink. 

 

• Steeple City Social was approved for an entertainment license. Co-owner Andrew Fitch said they weren't looking to become a rock club but rather have some music or performances inside and especially outside during downtown events. 

 

"We'd love to be able to have somebody strumming a guitar on the sidewalk if we want to, if First Friday's event is going on or Pride downtown is going on," he said. "We'd love to be able to hire a performer to, like, greet people or something, or to do face painting for kids while they're coming by."

 

The commission approved Social for inside entertainment and outside only when downtown events are occurring.