New Danvers Square Eatery Gets Liquor License

The Berry Tavern cleared a major hurdle and is one step closer to potentially opening in the fall.

The Danvers Board of Selectmen approved the transfer of an all-alcohol license from Steven Tedesco to 2 High Street Tavern Inc., which owns the proposed restaurant that’s slated to open next to Orange Leaf Yogurt on High Street. 

Nancy McCann, who was representing the owners of The Berry Tavern before the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, said owners George Tsatsis and Joseph Bono operate Al Dente and Benevento’s in the North End.

Tsatsis lives in Danvers and both men’s wives were raised in town, said McCann.

The plan is for a “full-service family style restaurant” that would seat 78 people. The location, which has been vacant for years, is 2,400 square feet.

The applicants also hope to open a small patio area of four or five tables adjacent to the eatery.

They plan on having between six and 10 TVs in the restaurant as well as live entertainment with a maximum of five-piece bands.

They expect to hire 25-30 employees with nine to 13 employees working on the largest shifts. The Berry Tavern plans to open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Sundays.

The owners are talking with People’s United Bank in hopes of being able to use the bank’s parking lot during non-bank hours.

The selectmen were pleased at the prospect of another eatery in Danvers Square.

“I’m very happy Danvers Square is coming alive,” said Selectwoman Diane Langlais. “I think it’s a great thing.”

One thing that board members did not like however was how the applicants obtained the all-alcohol license. They weren’t upset with the applicants, but the previous owner of the license, Tedesco, who reportedly bought the license for $40,000 and sold it for $125,000.

Selectmen were concerned the man made a profit on the license. A representative for Tedesco said that the man spent $90,000 on fees associated with the license, including engineering, legal and town fees so he didn't make a profit. That claim was rejected by the selectmen.

Selectmen Chairman Gardner Trask was especially displeased. The chairman said he had hoped that Tedesco came before the board again. Trask said Tedesco had been before the board multiple times before, including when he thought he had a buyer, Bonefish Grill, for the license.

The chairman said he supports the applicants, but is fully against Tedesco making a profit from the license.

The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 with Trask abstaining to approve the license transfer and 5-0 for the entertainment license. The applicants still need to get board approval for any outside seating and they also need to go through the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission process. 

The restaurant would be named after a 19th and early 20th century tavern that was at the same location. Click here for more information about the old tavern and for a photo of how The Berry Tavern looked in the 19th century.