Codman Square to get nippier: State overrules Boston ban on sale of liquor in tiny bottles at local packie

The state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission ruled last month that the Boston Licensing Board erred in requiring the new owners of a Washington Street liquor store to stop selling nips.

The ruling requires the local licensing board to amend Crown Liquors' license to permit nips sales at its 571 Washington St. outlet.

In recent years, the licensing board has generally required new owners of package-store licenses to not sell nips on the theory they encourage street drinking and littering.

The state commission ruled the board can keep doing that - but only on proof there is support in the surrounding community for such a license requirement.

Although representatives from Mayor Walsh's office and City Councilor Michael Flaherty urged the board at a November, 2015 hearing to ban the nips when Christ and George Stamatos took over the old MOD liquor store, the commission said no residents formally objected to nips sales and that neither of the city officials provided any specific reasoning at the hearing to ban nips.

Mod Liquors had sold nips for 35 years, the commission said.