The Dedham Transcript is reporting that more than 50 people came to Dedham Town Hall earlier this week to protest the proposed opening of Hooters in the space on the Providence Highway where Jasper White's Summer Shack had been. The article says that the residents brought a petition with more than 500 signatures on it from people who urged the town to reject the transfer of a liquor license to the chain, while Jasper White of Summer Shack defended Hooters, referring to it as a "sports bar" and saying he "would not bring a strip joint to Dedham and leave that legacy."
No decision on the license transfer was made by the Board of Selectmen at the meeting, as they will instead look at the comments from the meeting over the coming weeks before making a final decision.
The address for the proposed Hooters (and the now-closed Summer Shack) is 850 Providence Highway, Dedham, MA, 02026.
Thanks to Eater Boston for initially bringing this to our attention.
[May 4 update: A new article from The Dedham Transcript states that the town has voted unanimously against the transfer of Summer Shack's liquor license to Hooters, with one selectman giving reasons that include "overwhelming opposition" to the bar stemming from the earlier public hearing as well as "inequitable hiring practices based on age and gender."]
June 15 update: The Dedham Transcript says that Hooters is appealing the decision made by the Dedham Board of Selectmen, with a hearing on the appeal scheduled for September 7 when the chain will meet with the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission.]
Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston
[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]
