Troubled Bar to Reopen With New Name

After having its liquor license suspended for serving alcohol to minors and not having a manager on the premises, the Harvard Square Sports Club Bar is planning to open its doors again, under a new name, the Crimson Sports Grille.

"We completely renovated the bar, so we decided that it would be appropriate to change the name," said Preston E. Owen, acting manager of the sports bar.

Although Owen said that the bar has not changed owners a source familiar with the establishment said it has been purchased by Paul McCarthy, who owns other night clubs and bars in Boston.

Owen said the bar was scheduled to reopen yesterday but that its renovation was "running days late." He added that the bar will reopen sometime in February.

Owen would not say whether the bar has filed for a change in name or management to the Cambridge License Commission. He said the "possible name change" has no connection to the bar's 15-day liquor license suspension that ended Sunday.

According to Richard V. Scali, executive officer of the license commission, the bar has applied to reopen under the name Crimson Bar and Grille. But the bar has been advertising in The Crimson for the past week under the name Crimson Sports Grille.

"They did pick up the paperwork [for a change in name and management]," said Scali. "But the hearing [to review the application] won't be until the end of February."

The bar had not yet picked up its old license as of yesterday although the suspension ended on Sunday, Scali said.

He added that despite the bar's application to change its name and manager, it can reopen "as long as it doesn't change anything nailed down"--it can move around chairs or tables and strip the interior but is prohibited to relocate the bar or anything nailed to the floor.

The license commission first threatened suspension of the bar's liquor license last October when the bar was charged with serving alcohol to minors and not having a manager on the premises when a fight broke out between patrons.

The bar appealed the decision to the Alcohol Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) in December, but was found guilty. The ABCC suspended the bar's license for a period of 15 days, from January 19 to February 2.

Harvard Square citizens have complained about the sports bar and other local taverns at a city council hearing last year, claiming that they are the cause of fights and violence in the area.

The former management of the sports bar has refused to comment on the bar's alleged history of fights and noise.