NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The License Commission discussed the implications of a new state law that allows restaurants serving beer and wine to change their license to a non-transferable all-alcoholic license. 

 

The law, MGL Chapter 138, 12D, took effect with the passage of the fiscal 2026 spending bill on June 30. The City Council would have to adopt the statute. 

 

Commissioner Rosemari Dickinson pointed out that the city does not have a quota on the number of licenses for pouring establishments, as in other communities.

 

"So anytime anyone comes in and makes an application they, at that point in time, can make application for an all-alcohol license," she said. "They don't have to make it just for beer and wine, as they do in Pittsfield."

 

There are a couple of establishments in the city that only serve beer and wine that could have requested an all-alcohol license when they opened. 

 

Should they request that change, the license would only apply to that business, she said. "If that business decided to transfer, they would have to go back to beer and wine, and the transferee would be only getting a beer and wine license."

 

The commission would have to establish rules for applying for a license change, and the city could set a new fee. The current cost for an all-alcohol license is $1,575, and beer and wine is $900. 

 

"If we allowed this, we could say there's a $500 charge if you want to upgrade, because it's being upgraded," Dickinson said. "But again, that would be up to the board to decide."

 

Commissioner Michael Goodson asked if the board would be able to reject a license upgrade or would have to assume the venue could operate with a change in alcohol service. 

 

Dickinson thought that was a question for the city solicitor; the board would decide the rules for making the application. The state has created a guide for application changes.

 

"They already have a license, it probably would be easier than a new license, because they're already recorded in the state, and all they would be doing would be amending the license as presented from beer and wine," she said. "It's a nice feature, not one that has a lot to do with us, but it's food for thought." 

 

Commissioner Peter Breen asked if the board should be alerting pouring establishments to the change. Dickinson noted it was near the end of the year and it might be better to include an advisory in the annual renewal packets going out in November.

 

"It's better for them to apply when they start, rather than apply for a smaller license and then have to pay a stipend after that," she said. "So I would say that's probably what we should do."

 

The commissioners briefly discussed the proposal to ban nip bottles but did not think it would involve them as it was being taken up by City Council and possibly the Board of Health. 

 

In other business, the commission:

 

• Approved a change in doing business name for Off Piste Enterprises LLC, located in Greylock Works, from Ski Bum Rum to Forager. The distillery makes rum and gin. 

 

• Approved two one-day licenses for the PopCares fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 4, at Greylock Works from 4 to 10, with Breen motioning and the commission approving a donation of the $100 license fee, and for CJ Garner and Common Table to serve at a 1Berkshire event at Berkshire Family and Individual Resources on Wednesday, Oct. 8, from 5 to 7. 

 

• Approved an entertainment license for Door Prize at 40 Main St., in Hotel Downstreet for the hours of 11 to 11 outside and 11 to 10 inside, except on Sundays. Proprietors Bryan 'Swifty' Josephs and Jenny Klowden said the entertainment would be light and that the amplification on the application was for outside to offset traffic noise.

 

"I don't think you could get louder than the motorcycles on Route 2," Klowden said. "Having now been open, it's so loud anyway, we need to amplify just a little to be able hear over the traffic sounds. But it wouldn't be so loud that you would hear it if you went on the sidewalk."