By Gazette Staff
The Public Service Committee of the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council (JPNC) held its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 1. Chair Michael Reiskind and fellow members Adam Burrows, Willie Mitchell, Louise Johnson, Dorothy Farrell, Bianca Terry, and Bernie Doherty were on hand for the session.
Melissa Beltran from District 6 Councillor Ben Weber’s office and Zavia Dickerson, the JP liaison from the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, also attended the meeting.
On the agenda was a request by Pinales Kitchen Inc., doing business as Mangú Dominican Bistro, at 264 Hyde Park Avenue, to upgrade its present Common Victualler (Restaurant) 7-Day Wines and Malt Beverages License to a (restricted) All-Alcoholic Beverages License, with take-out, and a change of closing hours from 9:00 p.m. to 12 midnight on Thursdays through Sundays.
Attorney Jen Allen represented Pinales Kitchen, Inc., on behalf of the owner, Ingrid Pinales. She explained that the owner wishes to serve Dominican drinks along with the Dominican food. Ms. Allen said the business wants to be able to stay open until midnight on Thursday through Sunday in order to accommodate patrons who wish to stay out later on those nights. The restaurant has 18 seats.
The matter had come before the Public Service Committee in July when some neighbors expressed concerns about loud music, parking, and trash. Allen said that Ms. Pinales has reached out to the community since the July meeting to discuss their concerns.
Eduardo Castillo, who heads a nearby church, Templo Espiritual, that is two doors away from the restaurant, asserted that people gather outside of the restaurant and leave their trash. He also said that there is a problem with double parking. However, later in the meeting, Reiskind noted that these issues stem from a business next door (which is situated between the restaurant and the church), rather than from the restaurant.
Michael O’Connor said he was not opposed to the application, but had some concerns. In response to his questions, Allen said that alcohol will only be served with meals, that the kitchen will shut down at 11:30, and that all patrons will have to be out by 12 midnight. She also noted that the restaurant never has had an issue with patrons staying after its closing hours.
O’Connor also expressed his concern about the proliferation of liquor licenses throughout the city.
Mark Byrne, who said he patronizes the restaurant, expressed his concern that the establishment might turn into a bar with a larger seating capacity. However, Ms. Allen noted that 18 is the maximum seating capacity per its license. She also pointed out that Mangu will remain as a restaurant and will not be a bar with loud music.
Nichole Barros said she has no issue with the restaurant, but expressed concerns about parking, especially if the hours are extended to midnight.
Committee member Johnson expressed her view that extending the hours would be a positive development for the community.
Members Doherty and Burrows suggested that the closing hours should be reduced to 11:00 instead of midnight.
The committee voted 4-2-1 (Reiskind and Doherty voted against and Farrell abstained) to approve the requests for both the all-alcohol license and the extended hours.
The matter now will come before the full JPNC, after which the restaurant must go before the city’s Licensing Commission to obtain the new licenses.
Before the meeting adjourned, Doherty noted the many empty storefronts on Centre St. and also discussed the locked-up areas at CVS which require a clerk to allow patrons to purchase items.
Reiskind noted that the Boston Police Dept. has been working with the community to deter shoplifting, while Mitchell noted that retailers such as Walmart in other communities also have sections of their stores under lock-and-key.
Mitchell announced that on September 12, the Jackson Sq. Neighborhood Assoc. will be conducting its third annual peace walk to bring attention to the violence that is occurring in the Jackson Sq. area. The event starts at 10:00 a.m. at Mozart Park and will conclude with a barbecue on Horan Way.
Burrows pointed out that the Centre St. South Action Plan for traffic improvements had been zeroed-out for funding in the city for FY 27 and asked how the committee can become involved with pressuring the city to resurrect the project.