PITTSFIELD — The Tavern at the A has six months before the liquor license attached to it — one still held by a previous owner — is revoked, but that hasn’t stopped plans for a reopening under new ownership.
Located on the General Electric Athletic Association golf course at 303 Crane Ave., The Tavern, under previous owner Hailey Satrape, closed last summer. Satrape, who holds the liquor license in her name, has been incommunicado and has not filed any of the required tax returns for the transfer, according to Bill Martin, the attorney for GEAA, which owns and leases the building for the restaurant business.
Inside the Tavern at the A restaurant at the General Electric Athletic Association golf course in Pittsfield, a new operator is preparing to reopen the space and untangle the current issues with its liquor license.
STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN — THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE
“So we’ve had absolutely no luck trying to transfer the Satrape license,” Martin said at Monday’s Licensing Board meeting. “So we have effectively exhausted all possible avenues of accomplishing what we would need to accomplish with the [state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission] to transfer that license.” The commission manages liquor licenses in Massachusetts.
With a new leaseholder — Jim Mitus, the former owner of the Skyline Country Club in Lanesborough — signed on to take over the restaurant space and with a liquor license transfer from the former Pittsfield restaurant House of Seasoning lined up, the only obstacle left for Mitus is the fact there’s an existing liquor license attached to the property.
Golfers hit the links at the General Electric Athletic Association golf course in Pittsfield on Tuesday.
STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN — THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE
“If there’s a prior license on that property, inactive or not, you cannot bring in another license to operate at that same premises,” said Thomas Campoli, chairman of the Licensing Board.
This restriction does not apply once the Satrape license is transferred or revoked, so the Licensing Board started the commission’s required six-month countdown to revoke Satrape’s license on Monday afternoon after months of failed transfer attempts.
Still, surrendering or revoking the license has its consequences. If the rare and expensive license is surrendered or revoked, it effectively dies — and the city cannot create another to replace it.
Golfers hit the links at the General Electric Athletic Association golf course in Pittsfield on Tuesday.
STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN — THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE
Over four decades ago, Pittsfield passed up a one-time offer from the state to remove liquor license limits, a decision that now leaves the city unable to create any more licenses, with none left to give. Since the city is already over its population-based cap of 46 all-beverage liquor licenses, once this license is revoked, the city is permanently down a license.
Although Martin discussed drafting up a notarized surrender document to send to Satrape, who received a notice to appear before the Licensing Board through her company A.H. Satrape Inc., communication between the parties has been difficult.
“She’s gone from being cooperative to non-responsive,” Martin said.
Regardless, Tavern at the A is set to open on or about May 14.
Carts are ready for golfers outside the pro shop at the General Electric Athletic Association golf course in Pittsfield on Tuesday.
STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN — THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE
“We’re gonna get opened and serve food before we get our [liquor] license,” Mitus said.
Mitus, who has a three-year lease on the property, said he plans to offer much of the same menu as before.
“[We’re going to serve] just basic pub food, and then we have some dinner specials, and then [we’re] gonna start doing events again,” Mitus said.
Golfers hit the links at the General Electric Athletic Association golf course in Pittsfield on Tuesday.
STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN — THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE
Martin and GEAA representatives are planing to file the liquor license transfer application in time for the May 19 Licensing Board meeting, with hopes that Satrape will sign the surrender document in time for the June 30 meeting.
“We’ve got a not-for-profit golf course,” Martin said. “We really want to keep the liquor license in a for-profit entity.”
