A local group that plans to open a sports bar at the corner of Great Plain and Dedham avenues moved a step closer this week with the approval of a permit transfer from the Planning Board. Called the Common Room, the new venue would replace Latina Kitchen & Bar.
If additional approvals from the Select Board and the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) proceed in a timely fashion, the group said it could be open around Halloween.
Operating as Metrowest Dining LLC, the group was represented at the Planning Board by Needham High School graduates Scott McCourt, Ted Connolly and Thomas Griffin. They have been granted an assignment of the lease to the property by the owners of Latina and needed to acknowledge to the Planning Board that they were aware of the conditions of a special permit initially granted to RFK Kitchen in 2015.
The new operators said they plan to offer a restaurant concept they feel Needham does not have and will respond to favorably.
“We have a great restaurant scene,” said McCourt. “What we think we don’t have is the place where you can go watch the game and where neighbors can talk to neighbors. It’s a connection to the town.”
The restaurant’s business plan defines its target market as sports enthusiasts, professionals and families residing in Needham and surrounding areas. The menu will feature “upscale comfort food” and a diverse selection of beers, wines and cocktails.
“We want to be the place you go after work.”
The business plan calls for “multiple large-screen TVs strategically placed throughout the venue for optimal game viewing, ensuring every seat has a great view of the action.”
The group said they anticipate price points that will be more accessible than those at some of the town’s finer dining establishments in an effort to be more family friendly.
McCourt said they plan only minor décor changes to the venue. “It’s a beautiful space, a wonderful buildout,” he said. “We’ll need a month to do what we need to do inside.”
The group’s next local approval, for a liquor license, will be sought from the Select Board this coming Tuesday. They would then need approval from the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission but has no scheduled date for that meeting.
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