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By Bridget Turcotte
SAUGUS — A Board of Selectmen vote to hold in abeyance until Nov. 9 revocation of the liquor license issued to Sully C’s Bar & Grill represents a new chapter in the ongoing saga over Sully’s and the beginning of a game of musical chairs involving Route 1 restaurants.
Located on Route 1 North, Sully C’s became a battleground between business owner Elaine Byrne and property owner Evos Properties LLC and Evos’ manager Suleyman Celimli. The two sides each contested who was responsible for repairing damage caused by a fire for more than a year.
Town inspectors declared the 168 Broadway building, which also housed Boston Market, uninhabitable. Town fire officials anticipated both businesses would be closed for just a few weeks and the damage was estimated to be about $100,000.
Board members voted to revoke the license in July, but gave Byrne until last month to try to sell it.
Byrne attended the September meeting with news of a purchase and sale agreement with buyer Frank Perry, who plans to open a pizzeria called Sebastiana’s. The panel asked for documents about the sale, but as of last Wednesday, they still had not received the information, including the business’ location.
Byrne said Perry will purchase the current site of Victor’s Italian Cuisine at 1539 Broadway. Victor’s is moving to 1639 Broadway, where Maddy’s Lounge and Grill used to be.
Selectmen tempered their vote last Wednesday by expressing reservations with Selectman Scott Brazis saying, “I am not comfortable with the transfer of the liquor license. There are too many variables in my eyes.”
“Why is everything done so last minute?” said Selectman Mark Mitchell. “Me, personally, I think I would be proactive with getting things in early, that way if there were things that weren’t complete, we could follow up.”
Selectmen voted 3-2 to have Perry and Byrne return for a public hearing on Nov. 9, with Brazis and Mark Mitchell opposed.
Selectman Jeff Cicolini said he was unhappy with the timing of the application’s submission, but pushed to give Perry more time. He argued that revoking the license would mean the board would be starting from scratch with putting it to use.
“We have a partially submitted application,” he said. “It’s not like this is an anomaly. It happens more often than not. The ball is definitely moving. They have already paid the deposit and passed the CORI check. Victor’s is a current, viable building. I will not support us going through with a revocation tonight.”
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte.