Selectmen last night granted a liquor license to BJ's Wholesale Club by a vote of 4-1 with the stipulation that liquor would be separated from the rest of the store.
The vote comes after a Sept. 25 meeting where several residents spoke out against transferring the license from Vineyard Wine Co.
Selectmen Vice Chairman Mike Butler said being able to buy liquor at BJ's would, in fact, be a "convenience to the public."
Addressing the concerns of the public - many of whom claimed that giving BJ's the license would harm the neighborhood - Butler said the store is properly zoned in a commercial, retail district.
BJ's has been around for years, he said, the traffic the wholesale store brings to the area is well documented and shouldn't increase a great deal with a liquor license.
Residents last week were concerned that a BJ's license would give the Dedham belt of Providence Highway too many liquor selling establishments.
Currently, the Providence Highway establishments of Costco, Plaza Liquors, Gilbert's and the Wine Gallery are allowed to sell alcohol. Whole Foods Store, to open in Legacy Place, will also sell beer and wine.
"It would be safe to say that there is not one other stretch of roadway in the state ... that have anywhere near that number of retail liquor sale establishments on one road within a mile of each other," Prospect Road resident Daniel Shapiro wrote in a letter presented to selectmen at their last meeting.
Butler pointed out that the license would be transferring from Vineyard Wine on Eastern Avenue, which is just three-tenths of a mile away from BJ's.
Selectman Carmen Dellolacono, who agreed with public concern and voted against granting the license, said it was important to at least separate the liquor from the rest of the store by a floor to ceiling caging and a separate door.
"It's important that it's not an open floor plan," he said.
The board agreed with the suggestion and made it a stipulation to alcohol sales at the location.
Selectman Paul Reynolds was pleased BJ's has begun to make steps to become a "better neighbor."
The store has agreed to hold biannual meetings with town officials and the public to address any concerns that may come up.
They will also reportedly set up a hotline for residents to call if they have any complaints about their operation.
Reynolds said businesses, the town and residents must work together, not against each other.
"It's a partnership," he said.
BJ's also agreed to add trees to their property and improve lighting, according to Reynolds. The store also made a contribution to last weekend's Dedham Day festivities.
The license approved last night will be sent to the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission as soon as the selectmen approve a liquor manager for the site.
A manager had been set, but BJ's attorney Jim McGrail requested to withdraw that application, seeking to present a different person at a later date.
BJ's is expected to cease alcohol sales at its Danvers store to sell liquor in Dedham.
Under Massachusetts law, chain stores can only sell alcohol at three locations within the state.
