Londi's Changes Hands, Owners Return Beer and Wine License to Town

Londi's Famous Roast Beef and Pizza at 116 Water St. is changing hands and the town of Danvers is getting back a beer and wine license.

Town officials received a letter from Ted and Victoria Londi, dated Aug. 27, explaining that they were selling the business and would be voluntarily returning their recently acquired alcohol license to the town, having never incorporated it into their operation.

The Londi's were approved for their license by the Board of Selectmen in December 2011. They first opened Londi's in 2010 after purchasing the property in 2010.

This past Tuesday, the new owner, Alam & Shah, Inc., appeared before the board for a transfer of the common victualler's license.

The plan is to keep the everything pretty much the same inside the eatery -- seating, operating hours, the menu...although it wasn't clear if the size of the portions would change.

"Will the cheese and steak sub remain the largest one on the North Shore?" asked Selectman Dan Bennett, smiling.

"We'll send the sealer of weights and measures out there," chairman Gardner Trask joked.

"You've got big shoes to fill. Ted and Vicki did a great job with that restaurant," added Selectman Bill Clark, noting that the Londis have owned several restaurants in their career.

Bill Goldberg, who represented the new owner, said he has interests in the Salem House of Pizza and Mike's Place in Gloucester and should be a fine addition to the business community in town.

As for the alcohol license itself, it's first-come, first-served at just a fraction of the price licenses normally trade for between private license holders.

Anyone interested in adding beer and wine to their menu or opening a new restaurant should get their applications in to the Town Clerk's office sooner than later.