It’s no secret that Boston is sorely lacking in round-the-clock dining options. The city’s entire after-hours existence, in fact, is a current hot topic of conversation, from extended transportation hours and permission for bars to stay open past 2 a.m. Late-night dining belongs in that conversation, as it services not only those with the drunk munchies, but also entrepreneurs who work round-the-clock, students studying late into the night, and those traveling during odd hours.
This is the case that Clover made to the License Commission this week when the company applied for a license to operate its newest Cambridge location 24 hours a day. The new Clover will open in Central Square in late fall at 496 Massachusetts Ave. – where the former Hi-Fi Pizza used to operate until 3 a.m. on Thursday through Saturday.
Cambridge Day reports that while the proposal was approved by the License Commission, it was a split vote. Two members were in favor of the new 24-hour eatery, while Police Commissioner Robert Haas turned down the proposal. According to Cambridge Day, Haas is concerned that the late-night atmosphere might get out of control, and a 24-hour eatery could attract the rowdiness and violence from the surrounding area. He warned the Clover team:
We’ve had issues because of two places operating in the area [where crowds] have gotten out of control. I’d hate to see you falling into that mix. You’ve established a pretty good reputation for your business, and it only takes one bad incident there and it could change the nature of your business in that area,
For now, though, Clover will operate 24 hours a day at its new Central Square location once it opens this year, but three months into its opening, the team will have to go in front of the board again so the commission can determine if they can keep running 24 hours.
Let’s hope all goes well in those first three months for the new Clover outpost. After Gourmet Express Deli in Porter Square shuttered after 16 years of 24-hour operation, the city of Cambridge has been void of a round-the-clock dining destination (unless you count the Porter Square Star Market, which we decidedly do not).
Image via Clover/Facebook
