Dracut pizzeria gets liquor license; other restaurant's bid denied

DRACUT -- The owners of a 17-year pizzeria and another restaurant not yet opened experienced very different results in their quests to be granted liquor licenses by the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday.

The board voted 5-0 to grant a request by Primo Pizza owner Christos Kotsironis to upgrade his existing liquor license, permitting him to sell beer and wine at his 164 Parker Ave. business, to "all alcoholic beverages."

Kotsironis' request was granted by the board despite public hearing-input from two neighbors who objected to hard liquor being served to restaurant patrons in what is an otherwise predominately residential neighborhood.

In the hearing preceding the one for Primo's, selectmen voted 3-2 to deny a request by Hometown Dracut Inc.'s owner, Keith Alkourabi, for an all-alcoholic beverages license for a 60-seat restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, that Alkourabi plans to open next month at 1084 Lakeview Ave.

Selectmen Tony Archinski, Joe DiRocco and Chairwoman Cathy Richardson voted "no" on Alkourabi's request.

Attorney Gil Nason, representing Hometown Dracut Inc., told selectmen that securing the liquor license was an important element of Alkourabi's plan to finish building and open his restaurant, to be named "24," by Valentine's Day.

However, Selectmen Tony Archinski, speaking for the board majority, instructed Nason and Alkourabi to return with their licensing request after construction has been completed, and the restaurant has actually opened its doors to customers.

"Nothing the board has said in opposition to granting this liquor license made any sense at all," said Selectman Tami Dristiliaris, who cast one of the board's two votes in the minority, along with Selectman Alison Hughes, in favor of granting Alkourabi a liquor license.

In other business at Tuesday's meeting, Fire Chief David Brouillette presented selectmen with some of his department's key statistical totals from the year just concluded, including reporting that the Dracut firefighters responded to 3,394 incidents, conducted 1,015 inspections and issued 223 certificates-of-compliance and 150 permits in 2014.

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Dracut pizzeria gets liquor license; other restaurant's bid denied