Wow. The meeting notice page of the Cambridge License Commission indicates that at the next meeting (10/22) the commission will review a proposal by Daniel Lanigan of Lord Hobo "to pledge [the restaurant's liquor] license to Christopher Schlesinger" [former owner of East Coast Grill, All Star Sandwich Bar, and other restaurants]. This most likely indicates a sale. I doubt that Schlesinger would make major changes to what is (apparently) a very successful concept, but I hope he'll be able to maintain the exceptional beer list that Lord Hobo typically offers. Hat tip to the original source for this: Boston Restaurant Talk blog, which notes that Lanigan may be intending to focus on opening his contract brewery, as recently detailed in the Globe and discussed on BA.
Never mind. I am now not worried. Daniel Lanigan on Twitter this morning: Couldn't be further from the truth. I will be running Lord Hobo till I'm buried. Cheers https://twitter.com/lordhobo/status/392298771754651649
Presumably the transfer is necessitated to avoid 3-tier issues. You can't hold both an on-premises license and a manufacturing or farmer-brewer license in MA.
I can see this. Perhaps I read too much into words, but he did not say there is no transfer occuring, I am not selling. While he did say this isn't true, All he said is I will still be running the joint.
Chris Schlesinger is my landlord. He owns the building. This is a simple pledge of my liquor license as collateral for a lease extension. I will continue to own and operate Lord Hobo until I retire or die. And I'm only 38. A hearing for a "pledge" is vastly different than a "transfer." I wish the original reporting had done 3 minutes of homework. Cheers Daniel
