Framingham board continues Vignite�s malt-and-wine license hearing after debate over late hours and absent manager

Chair Stewart Pology opened and continued a public hearing Jan. 12 on a new malt-and-wine restaurant license for Vignite, a Haitian Caribbean restaurant at 495 Worcester Road, Unit 3, asking the applicant to return with clarified hours, a manager of record and corrected application materials.

The applicant, assistant manager Joalda Luis Isma, told the board Vignite opened in September 2024 and sought authorization to serve malt beverages and wine on the premises. "We are a Haitian Caribbean restaurant," Isma said, and described continuing full food service while expanding to include alcohol. She said the manager and owner have experience serving alcohol and that two staff would be present during service.

Commissioners pressed the applicant on the operating hours proposed with the license application. Commissioner Alicia DeAngelis said she found the requested late hours "inappropriate" for what she described as a restaurant with limited seating and stressed that the board could not treat an alcoholic beverage license as a substitute for a formal change-of-hours application. Commissioner Shannon McCullough stated that a 2 a.m. closing time was "completely off the table in my mind," saying the board has not granted that precedent to new licenses. Licensing coordinator Michael Royce told the board he had checked with Lieutenant O'Toole of the police department, who "did say he has no problem with the 2 a.m." proposal.

Board members also questioned the application packet. DeAngelis and others said the submitted floor plan did not clearly show a bar area and that the ABCC and Secretary of State forms were dated and needed updating. The applicant confirmed a seating capacity of 27 and acknowledged the need to correct certain form entries, including ownership and the proposed manager information. Several commissioners emphasized they wanted the manager of record to appear at the hearing: "the manager of record is the person that will ultimately be responsible for the alcohol service," Chair Pology said.

After discussion, Commissioner Joseph Sterniolo moved to continue the application for a new malt-and-wine restaurant license for Vignite LLC to Feb. 9, 2026, listing Mira Francois as manager and Geraldo Luis Isma as assistant manager on the continuation motion. The motion was seconded and passed on a roll-call vote; the chair announced the hearing continued to Feb. 9, 2026.

Next steps: the board asked the applicant to update ABCC/Secretary of State forms, provide an updated floor plan that clearly shows the bar and seating configuration, and have the manager of record attend the Feb. 9 hearing. The board signaled it is unlikely to approve a 2 a.m. closing for this location without further justification or evidence from the manager and public-safety stakeholders.

Ending: The hearing was continued to Feb. 9, 2026; the applicant expressed willingness to make the requested changes and return on that date.