The owner of The Lantern's location is reportedly in negotiations with a new tenant. The historic eatery closed in April.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Lantern Bar and Grill owners are looking into the historic eatery's future after it closed in April.

On Monday, Licensing Board approved an alcohol license transfer from previous owner North Street Eats LLC to 449 North RE LLC, a Mill Town Capital company that owns the real estate that includes The Lantern.

The intent is to find another tenant and it was reported that there is potential tenant in negotiations.

"Its role up to this point has been that of landlord and lender to the owner of North Street Eats LLC doing businesses as The Lantern," attorney Michael Macdonald explained on behalf of the applicant.

"There is in the application package a termination agreement, the tenant went out of business back in April, (499 North) and the tenant agreed to a termination agreement pursuant to which the liquor license and the personal property inside of the premises which have previously been sold by (449 North) to the tenant is now all coming back in satisfaction of the debt."

Jeremy Berlin was appointed as the manager. He is a chef with experience in managing Blantyre in Lenox, The Gateways in Lenox, and the now-shuttered Mission Bar and Tapas.

Former owner Bjorn Somlo brought The Lantern back to life in 2019 after the previous owner Mark Papas closed it in 2017. The eatery has been at the corner of North Street and Linden Street since the 1920s.

Somlo cited a decline in business that was exacerbated by the pandemic.

Macdonald pointed out that an additional liquor license transfer would be required if the restaurant were leased or sold. There is no timeline established yet.

"Good luck with that," Chairman Thomas Campoli said. "It's a great spot."

The board also approved a license transfer from J. Allen's Clubhouse Grille to the Rusty Anchor, which is situated on Pontoosuc Lake.  

Rusty Anchor owner Scott Graves would like to expand the offerings of the marina and private club.  With this approval, he will be giving up the former seasonal beer and wine license for a full liquor license.

The establishment will remain the same, operating typically from April to October. Graves applied for the annual license because it was the best opportunity available.

Campoli said he hates to see a waste of an annual license but board member Richard Stockwell said that he would rather the license stay in the city than go "back to Boston," as it was standing dormant for some time.

There was some question if the license must indicate that the Rusty Anchor is a private club, which the board is going to check with the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission on.

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