Shuttered Irish Pub in Jamaica Plain Could Get New Life as a Co-op

A popular watering hole in Jamaica Plain has been closed for nearly a year, but recent efforts from the neighborhood could breathe new life into the space. James’s Gate poured out its last pints in September of 2015, but the space may rally, thanks to the efforts of the James’s Gate Cooperative, Jamaica Plain News reported.

The cooperative wants to make the McBride St. pub into a community-owned space, operated through membership fees and group votes.

"The motivation is not just about a bar, but rather the formation of a cooperatively owned and managed establishment that strives to uphold values of democracy, equality, self-responsibility, solidarity, and the formation of a sense of pride and place in one’s community," according to the cooperative’s website. "A bar, and more specifically a community-owned cooperative bar, is simply an ideal vehicle for doing so."

There are also proposed plans from a developer to build a mixed-use development at the site, but those plans have not yet been voted upon.

• James’s Gate Cooperative Meeting After JPNDC Meeting on Thursday [JP News]
• James’s Gate Is Locked for Good [EBOS]