Wellesley, Mass., has a reputation as a “dry town,” but just because we have no liquor stores and force restaurants to be of a certain size or jump through a few other hoops if they want to sell booze doesn’t mean the town is dry by a long shot.

Wellesley once was technically dry, back during prohibition in the early 1900s, and actually stayed that way through the middle 1900s (Babson College founder Roger Babson even ran for President of the United States in 1940 as a candidate for the National Prohibition Party). However, things changed in the mid-1970s. Here’s a quick look back and an update on where things stand (thanks to Wellesley Board of Selectmen member Gig Babson and Deputy Police Chief Bill Brooks for their time in explaining the ins and outs).

According to the Town of Wellesley’s “Rules and Regulation Governing Alcoholic Beverages” revised in 2008, the Massachusetts General Law Chapter 138 passed in 1933 covers the sale and licensing of alcoholic beverages in the state. Wellesley residents voted every two years from 1934 to 1966 to deny the sale of alcoholic beverages by hotels with 50 of more seats. But in 1968, Wellesley voters by a narrow margin (39 votes) gave the OK for such sales, and votes by Wellesleyites on the state election ballot in 1970 and 1972 made it official.

In 1972 and 1974, voters also gave the go-ahead for restaurants and function rooms with seating capacity for 100 or more people to sell alcoholic beverages (Outside seating and anything above 10 bar stools/seats do not count towards the 100 seat minimum.). Restaurant owners must have common victualler licenses that confirm they have the equipment on premises for cooking, preparing and serving food, and restaurants such as Blue Ginger and The Cottage do indeed serve alcohol to patrons.




Author: ZheJiang QiangSheng Furniture Co., Ltd.
website: www.zjqiangsheng.com
main product: bar stools