729 Hope Street... what's the story?

[John Libonati]

I heard from a GM at one of the "famous" hill restaurants that a group from the Hill have bought or were looking to buy 729 Hope Street. Supposedly one of the partners has government connections (yeah, shocking) and said he can get a liquor license with out a problem.
It's my understanding that you can not put a business that serves liquor with in 500 feet of a church. There's a church directly across the street.
Does anyone know the story? I would have taken over that space if I knew I could get a liquor license!

[Lisa]

It's RI so that sound believable.
But what about the rumor printed in the East Side Monthly that it will turn into a deli owned by the owner of the Patriots is not correct? The wings place next door is shaping up and I hope they fill the coffee shop soon with something good.
I very much miss walking there for coffee and miss seeing the staff.

[John Libonati]

I don't know about the wing shop. Is that the place that has the store front boarded up?
Our neighborhood really needs a wine and coffee bar with light style tapas food. I was willing to do it a year ago but I couldn't get a space on Hope street. I spoke to "the" landlord that owns most of Hope street and he didn't want food in his building. I would have taken over 729 Hope St Cafe if I could put a beer and wine license in there. But since I'm not a Rhody, I have no gov connections or know any of the "guys" on the hill it wont happen.
When ever I see an empty space that could work I always call to get info on the space. I've been hung up on several times by landlords who say "...forget it you'll never get a liquor license."
I really wanted the Garrison chocolate shop next to CVS. I spoke to the landlord several times and he said the space is spoken for. Almost 2 years later and it's still empty. It doesn't make the neighborhood look very good.

If there is anyone out there looking for a partner and interested in opening a wine & cafe bar... let's chat!

[derek wagner]

this is type of thing is all too common in our lovely little state. not only have i experienced it (twice!) myself, but i've seen it happen so many times to other people. a great location, a great concept, good hardworking people, wanting patrons, seems like a simple enough equation, but then factor in too much red tape, too much bureaucracy, too many fees, not enough connections and simply no understanding of the importance of time and money as a major factor in the development or lack there of of a small business.

as a small business/restaurant owner in a neighborhood, and also as a resident in that same mixed use neighborhood i can relate to both sides of issue. everyone wants to have interesting, beautiful little shops, cafes and restaurants in their neighborhood, but ahhhh, if it were only that easy. it is so difficult to open and establish any business here, especially a restaurant. the archaic processes, delays, red tape, costs, and lack of a truly supportive local government makes the gauntlet of opening such a daunting prospect.

i could go into particulars, but i will spare you all reliving the pain. unfortunately so many great concepts never get the chance to develop, and it leaves aspiring chefs, artisans and entrepreneurs who have the potential to be local employers, tax generators, and neighborhood pillars left in the lurches and put off our city, and their dreams. i can only hope someone will eventually make policy and attitude changes in the necessary places because it is truly the community that looses out when things like this happen over and over again.

[Mr. Ritz]

Derek, Didn't you have to finagle something for your new location due to it being so near a church?

[Ellen Shatter]

Liquor licenses (I assume you are talking about hard liquor as well as beer and wine) are difficult to obtain in most states.
New York had only a limited number of them permitted so they were extremely expensive. In California it was very easy
to obtain a beer and wine license but a license to serve hard liquor was also expensive and difficult to obtain. In both
places connections were imperative. Just want all you Rhody Dislanders to know that RI is not the most corrupt place
in the world (much as many of you would fondly like to believe it).
That aside, as a resident of the Summit neighborhood I would love to see a nice eating place at the 729 Hope St. location. A wine and coffee bar with light style tapas food would be fantastic. Many times I am out and about and
want a light snack. At the present time there is nothing available.
An addendum to the liquor license rant. Years ago I knew someone in New York City who wanted to open a waffles
place. It took almost a year because the city restaurant inspector kept finding fault with the place. He obviously wanted
a bribe but Gregory wasn't going to give it to him. Eventually he did open but it did take what seemed like forever. So
it ain't just in Little Rhody.
And there are many other states which have really weird and convoluted liquor laws that make New York,
California, and Rhode Island look easy and liberal. Bible Belt, anyone?

[derek wagner]

ellen,
i hope you weren't referring to my post. i was in no way putting down the state i was born in, live in and love. i am thoroughly committed to this community and try every day to do my part to make it a better place. i was simply trying to offer some actual insight to someone who has recently gone through the processes, multiple times.
it is very very difficult to obtain any type of restaurant license, especially a liquor license in Providence. if you personally have ever applied for one or been through the process you could begin to understand the frustration. it doesn't mean it is easier somewhere else, it just means its harder than it has to be here and there are a lot of restaurants that don't get off the ground because of it.

[Ellen Shatter]

Actually, I was replying to all the posts. It is distressing to know that getting a restaurant license is so
difficult here. It shouldn't have to be. One would think that the town would welcome the business.
Unfortunately, many government bureaucracies seem to specialize in making things as difficult as
possible for their constituents. I know from experience as I was a municipal employee. (in San
Francisco, CA) Sometimes it's to protect the interests of the established few and keep the outsiders
and interlopers out. Governments are hard things to budge. Things are done in a certain way and no one
wants to or has the energy to change things. I guess people will have to figure out a way to fight it.
Neighborhood associations are often a good place to start. Summit has a very active one and so does
West Broadway.
I hope that some eating place does come soon to 729 Hope St. It would be a shame to have the
space remain vacant for a long time. There are too many vacant storefronts on Hope Street.

[John Libonati]

I was a business owner in NYC for 5 years and before that helped my family open 3 new restaurants all with liquor licenses. For my business the easiest thing was getting a liquor license. I opened a bar and still had to have a food permit because 'ice' is considered a food (strange I know). I had no problem getting a food license either. The hardest thing for me was dealing with contractors and builders.
I sold my business and moved here hoping to open something here. Little did I know how difficult it would be. I met a restaurant owner who's construction was complete but couldn't open because his food license took almost a year after the construction was complete. It cost him $500,000!
It seems too many people are just willing to accept the way things are. If you don't have a "relative" working for the licensing bureau you have to have Murdocks money to get anywhere.
Why is it ok for us to have Home Depots, Lowes, Sams Club, Wal-Marts but not a chain liquor store? Was it ok to put the local hardware store out of business along with small grocers and our butchers?

I'm sorry for the rant. I'm really trying to make a go of it in this beautiful little state.

[Dave and Paul]

i hope it works. i know you have been trying. best of luck

[angrychef]

ive heard a few different things as well. i know that pinelli marra group was looking into the space as well as the business. the cafe is part of catering collaborative, which is in pretty bad financial standings at this point (if they havent already succumbed to bankruptcy). the business (catering collab) will most probably be absorbed by one of the many ri caterers out there for probably just enough to cover their debts. the cafe space however, even with the door on hope st, doesnt generate enough destination traffic to justify the exhorbitant rent that the landlord wants. that is...unless you could serve liquor! the actual ri law (ri gen law 3-7-19) specifies that no establishment shall serve liquor within 200 feet (not 500) of a place of worship. that measurement needs to be taken from the 4 physical corners of that establishment to the nearest "improved" point of the building of the place of worship. if i were you id get out your tape measure and start measuring!

also, liquor lic are pretty easy to get if you have all your paperwork/research in line and the surrounding property owners dont object. if they do, there is no 1 person on that licensing board who can push through that license (despite what those guys on the "hill" think). the only ri licenses that are capped are liquor stores and one of the other odd licenses (i forget).
and thats what i know...

-j

[Andrea Sloan]

John, I hear your frustration, but I would try again, and maybe meet with the city council if you can. I had a similarly frustrating experience last year. There are definitely no liquor licenses available for liquor stores, but you may be able to finagle one for a restaurant. I know you're looking on the east side, but Pawtucket is dying for wine bars/bistros. I've met with the city council there, and they can do it. Personally, I think the abandoned bowling alley on N. Main is crying out for a wine bar, although I'm not sure if that's still Prov. I would love to do that myself, but I'm pretty happy where I am (surrounded by wine, who can complain??) Just don't give up; I think you can make it happen. Maybe a petition? This state is in no position to deny a small business the chance to get off the ground.

[Lisa]

The abandoned bowling alley on North Main is Providence. I don't see that as a good spot for a wine bar though, as the area has zero to none people who walk on that street who would stop into one. It's a depressed area that need to be revitalized. An Asian restaurant just opened near there just a month or so ago. That seems more fitting for the area.

I'm biased as I live right off of Hope Street, but we need more stores. There are so many empty storefronts that need to be filled (the former 729, Garrison's, Dunkin Donuts, and the ice cream store ). The stores that are in the area do great business (the Ivy, Hope Pizza, Blaze, Seven Star, Pizzico, and Apsara). The foot traffic is excellent.