Gloucester Licensing Board Approves Masquerade Ball Permit, Downtown Restaurant Renewal

GLOUCESTER — February 11, 2025 — Gloucester Licensing Board clears four establishments at February meeting, including long-delayed 289 Main Street restaurant. The board voted unanimously on seven substantive actions Tuesday, approving a special one-day all-alcohol license for a Venetian Carnival masquerade ball at Hammond Castle Museum on March 1, with attorney Joel Favaza of Seaside Legal Solutions securing both a late renewal and an alteration-of-premises approval for Ranger QOF-MA LLC at 289 Main Street, the former Halibut Point space that has been under renovation for more than a year. Favaza committed on the record to an opening within 45 days of final ABCC sign-off, with a National Grid electrical service upgrade the only remaining variable. The board also approved routine renewals for Castaways Vintage Cafe LLC at 65 Main Street and a change of manager to Don Carraway — a 37-year hospitality industry veteran — at Rocky Neck Lobster Company Inc.'s The Lobster, 115 East Main Street, after owner Tessa Brown acknowledged the manager change had gone unreported for roughly 10 months past the required 30-day window.