Lower permit cost, good relationship may have landed biergarten in Watertown instead of Waltham

Mighty Squirrel Biergarten’s location at Gore Place, an estate spanning Waltham and Watertown, raised an unusual licensing question: Which city should issue its permits?  

Interviews with licensing officials from both municipalities and the Charles River Regional Chamber offer insights into how the permits work and why they were ultimately issued through Watertown.

The one-day licensing permits

Both cities conform to Massachusetts General Laws, including those governing the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission. They also both offer one-day alcohol licenses for businesses that operate on specified days at a location without permanent alcohol licenses.

“So those would be the Paine Estate, the Gore Estate and the Lyman Estate, and then any other premises that might come through,” said Darlene Wansiewicz, administrative assistant for Waltham’s Licensing Department and Veterans’ Services. 

Massachusetts limits the number of days for which one person may receive special one-day licenses during a calendar year, allowing for 30 per year. Mighty Squirrel uses multiple applicants to cover its biergarten’s operating schedule, according to Noelle Gilligan, Watertown’s city clerk.

Although both municipalities offer one-day licenses, their fees differ significantly. Waltham charges $250 for a one-day alcohol license, while Watertown charges $50.

Why the permits went through Watertown

Because Gore Place straddles the municipal boundary, the biergarten’s operators had to decide which city to work with when obtaining its alcohol licenses. They chose Watertown.

“Because the Gore Estate is on both Watertown and Waltham property, the ABCC [Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission] allows either city to create the license for them. Because they are closer to the Watertown entrance, there is a Watertown address for that location. They chose to apply through us, and we have a really good relationship with them,” said Gilligan.

According to Wansiewicz, Mighty Squirrel never submitted an application to Waltham. She said that the company has a history of working with Watertown, which might have contributed to their choice to work with them.

“They’ve already dealt with Watertown prior to, with their little Arsenal beer garden at the Arsenal Mall, so they already know them, and that’s okay that they did that,” Wansiewicz said.

While Watertown issued the licenses, the municipal boundary still affects where customers may carry alcohol. 

“Although our Waltham Police Department police liaison and, of course, our officers have been told that there is alcohol, they are not to leave that roped-around tented area. They cannot walk around with open containers because now they’re walking in Waltham,” Wansiewicz added.

The business perspective

Greg Reibman, president and CEO of the Charles River Regional Chamber, said that the chamber was not involved in Mighty Squirrel’s decision. The Chamber represents businesses in Watertown, but not in Waltham, limiting his ability to compare the two municipalities directly.

Although the Chamber was not involved in the decision, Reibman said he had been told that Watertown was easy to work with. He added that the city has a reputation of supporting businesses.

“I was told that Watertown was much easier to work with, and that’s why [Mighty Squirrel] ultimately decided to set up in Watertown and not Waltham. And I can tell you that I know the people in Watertown are really fantastic in terms of how much they reach out and support businesses,” Reibman said. “But I don’t know what Waltham did or didn’t do.”

Reibman said that licensing costs, timelines and communication can also influence a business choice when it comes to obtaining a license. When one municipality gains a business over another, he added, the decision can affect both local tax revenue and the community’s reputation among business owners.