According to an article in The Somerville Journal, Carla DeLellis of the now-closed Johnny D's in Davis Square has told city officials that she plans to add three stories of residential space to the site in the form of seven rental units, while having the ground floor of the Holland Street structure be commercial retail space that could become home to a new restaurant and/or bar. The post says that while DeLellis is "not sure what kind of business will operate there," she does mention that she could transfer the Johnny D's liquor license to a new restaurant/bar owner or possibly open a dining/drinking spot of her own using the license.
It does not look like any new business would be opening in the Johnny D's space before the fall of 2017, which means the license would be inactive for at least a year and a half, but the Journal indicates that commission members don't seem to have a problem with this because of the new licenses coming to Somerville this year--along with the solid reputation of Johnny D's. They will ask DeLellis to give the commission a written update next June and meet with them once again in September.
Johnny D's first opened in 1969, starting out as a bar then becoming a country music venue before transforming into a renowned music club and restaurant that featured a variety of local and national acts.
The address for the old Johnny D's space is 17 Holland Street, Somerville, MA, 02144.
[Earlier Article]
Johnny D's in Somerville's Davis Square Is Closing
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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]
