Business & Tech

J.P. Licks Pushes for Late Closing Time

The Board of Selectmen isn't sure yet if it will allow the ice cream store to stay open until midnight.

J.P. Licks, the popular ice cream store with locations all around the metro-Boston area and suburbs, will open up in Wellesley soon. But could they be one of the only comestible establishments open past 11 p.m. in town?

Kimberly Diaz, director of operations for J.P. Licks, and Jason Provost, prospective general manager of the Wellesley shop, went before the board to attain a necessary common victualler’s license to allow food service. As part of the discussion, Diaz suggested the store be open until midnight as it does most of its business between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. However, Katherine Babson, chair of the board, said recalled a town bylaw forcing businesses to close at 11 p.m. unless the board grants special permission to stay open later.

“I think we ought to make this 11 o’clock unless there’s a pressing need to make this midnight,” Babson said.

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Diaz offered a compromise, asking the board if the ice cream store, to be located at 63 Central St. in place of the closed Body Shop, could stay open until midnight perhaps only in summer months and only on weekends. Babson said they would take it under consideration to decide next week.

Selectwoman Barbara Searle, later in the meeting, said she had misgivings about all seemingly constant paradae of new businesses trying to gain a foothold in Wellesley.

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“Based on our discussion with J.P. Licks, should we at some point at least have a discussion about the number of establishments in the Wellesley Square area?” she said. “I mean, there’s a lot, and we keep adding more.

“Is there a point where we’re going to start to say no to any additional food establishments?”

The board will discuss these matters again next week.


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