The proposed opening of national pizza chain Papa John’s in a now-vacant Dorchester Avenue storefront continues to cook-up controversy in Fields Corner this week.

Franchise owners Joe and Ralonda Johnson have a lease agreement in place for the space at 1501 Dorchester Ave., which has housed several businesses over the years including the Emerald Isle Bar & Lounge, a Chinese take-out restaurant, and most recently, BosBurger, which closed in 2021.

The Johnsons, who have applied for a common victualler’s (CV) license but do not yet have a hearing date before the city, spoke about their plans during an abutters’ meeting last Tuesday via Zoom.

Dennis Quilty, an attorney representing the Johnsons, called it “a fairly simple application.”

“It’s a CV license with no alcohol,” said Quilty. “They are looking for hours of operation which would be Sunday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 a.m.”

Joe Johnson told attendees that he and his wife are “an independently-owned and operated franchisee.”

“We are a minority-owned, multi-unit Papa John’s franchise organization that started in 2016. We have been operating in the state of Massachusetts since 2018,” he said.

Johnson acknowledged that there have been other Papa John’s operators nearby that have since closed, but he and his wife are confident that their Dot Ave location will be successful.

“In 2021, we created the Our Slice Initiative focused on creating access to franchise ownership for minorities and women,” said Johnson. “That’s led to five program participants, including Charles Tabb who grew up in Dorchester and is an operating partner for this location. When we say locally-owned and operated, we mean it.”

But the proposal has generated some fierce opposition, including from Brian Chavez, who owns and operates Antonio’s Hi-Fi Pizzeria, right across the street from the proposed Papa John’s. Chavez previously owned BosBurger, which closed in 2021 “due to financial performance,” he said.

Chavez was locked into the lease at BosBurger until 2023 and, he says, he had hoped another small, local business would one day thrive in the space.

“I didn’t expect that the proposal right across the street would be another pizza restaurant, let alone a corporate franchise Papa John’s Pizza restaurant,” said Chavez. “If my business is cut down by 20 to 50 percent this affects whether I’m paying my cost of living, my credit card bill, my house, my daily necessities. If I am providing for my son, and I have another son on the way. It has real-life implications.” 

Chavez is not alone in his resistance.

Jackey West Devine, executive director of Fields Corner Main Streets (FCMS), submitted a letter to the Boston Licensing Board on Aug. 9 that argues against granting a license to Papa John’s, citing “significant concerns that this national fast-food chain does not fulfill the City’s commitment to local investment, risks failure that would destabilize the neighborhood, and could exacerbate trash and parking tension, which is already a top concern identified by residents.”  

West Devine told the Reporter that she has never before opposed a new business opening in the district, a stance she acknowledged is “very uncomfortable.”

But she added: “It’s very specific to this business at this time in this location. It feels off.”

She added: “We’re not opposed to franchises in general. I think for this particular franchise it’s not a small businessperson who sees an opportunity for growth, it’s an external stakeholder who sees an opportunity for dollars and isn’t thinking about what the community actually needs.”

Candice Gartley, the executive director of ADSL based in nearby Town Field, is also on record against the Papa John’s project. 
“I would like to support a community-owned business,” she said. “We don’t need another mega-franchise there that doesn’t healthily contribute to the neighborhood.”

Chavez has also objected to last week’s virtual abutter’s meeting, saying that city officials failed to notify him and others that it was happening. On Monday afternoon, Chavez said he hand-delivered a petition of opposition with roughly 100 signatures to the Licensing Board office at City Hall.

But Tabb, the would-be store manager, says he is “disappointed that the community I grew up in is challenging the opportunity for me to realize my lifelong dream of becoming a restaurant owner.”

“Through the Our Slice program, [the Johnsons] are giving me a shot and opportunity to bring business back to my own community,” he said.

His boss, Joe Johnson, added: “Our organization employs locally, often pays higher wages, offers competitive health benefits, creates ownership opportunities for local Dorchester residents, all of our contractors and service providers will be local, and we have a track record of investing considerably with local community organizations. I’d say that meets the bar for being additive.”
Alan Issokson, who owns H. Levenbaum Insurance Agency at 1534 Dorchester Ave., said he finds opposition to the pizza franchise to be wrong-headed.

“Businesses should be allowed to try and thrive. A burger place was there, no one told them they couldn’t open,” said Issokson. “I’m mostly concerned about the process. This is not an issue about use, it’s an issue about a common victualler license and it should be that criteria alone that we should be concerning right now.”

He added: “I think it’s important that we stick to a process and the process here seems to be do these folks meet the qualifications for a common victualler license and if they do then they should be granted. If we start manipulating the process, then we’re doing all of us a disservice.”

Meanwhile, as the Johnsons await a hearing date for their license, renovations are well underway to get the space outfitted for pizza take-out and delivery.

While the old BosBurger sign remains visible between the now-closed Blarney Stone and Phoung’s Hair Salon, those traveling by can see a large, round Papa John’s sign hanging inside the storefront.