Sam Maverick's Licensing Fate Could Be Decided Later Today

Yesterday, the Boston Licensing Board heard about Sam Maverick's, a family-friendly, neighborhood concept from some experienced restaurateurs, proposed for the long-closed Hollywood Video store in Adams Corner, in the works since the spring. Today, the board will decide whether to grant it one of Boston's limited, new liquor licenses, Universal Hub reports.

Sam Maverick's is a venture from Julian Bolger (Tavern in the Square, The Playwright, Bee's Knees Supply Co., Cityside) and partner Shawn Ahearn, and those recognizable names could get in the way of the pub's liquor license.

As it would be a new establishment serving alcohol in Dorchester, Sam Maverick's could be granted one of 25 new, resale-restricted liquor licenses created by the state legislature to spur economic development in traditionally underserved markets. (There will be 75 of these licenses available over the next two years.) Councilor-at-Large Ayanna Pressley opposed this proposal, because the Dorchester area has already benefited from the new licenses, while areas such as Mattapan and Roxbury have not, according to UHub.

The mayor's office and other councilors supported Sam Maverick's, though they would like to see it close at midnight, instead of Bolger's proposed 1 a.m. on weekend evenings.

Results of Wednesday hearings are typically available after 3 p.m. on Thursday.

UPDATE (6/29): The Boston Licensing Board approved Sam Maverick's liquor license, a city clerk's office employee confirmed this morning. Also, Universal Hub ran a correction because the site misunderstood councilor Ayanna Pressley's objection to the proposal: She expressed concern that Dorchester had already been awarded several of the new licenses, while areas like Mattapan and Roxbury had largely not benefited from the law. Pressley is not opposed to the project because it comes from recognizable names, UHub noted in its follow-up. This article has been updated to reflect her opinion accurately.