North Attleborough Board of Health Approves VJ's Brewhouse Permit for February Opening

NORTH ATTLEBORO — January 14, 2020 — North Attleborough Board of Health approves new VJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse permit and signals tougher tobacco enforcement. The board voted unanimously at its January 14 meeting to grant a food service, frozen dessert, and catering permit to VJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse at 1174 South Washington Street, contingent on passage of pre-operational and final health inspections, with a public opening targeted for February 24. The board also granted a 90-day extension to landlord James McMahon on two cosmetic correction order items at 84 Division Street, conditioned on his not re-renting the unit until a final inspection is passed. Monkey Joe's Play Place owner Pamela Franciscus was called before the board over a four-year pattern of late license renewals and warned that future non-compliance would result in an immediate halt to food service. In its sharpest exchange of the evening, board members pushed for aggressive use of local tobacco fines — up to $1,000 per incident under state regulations effective December 11, 2019 — against retailers still selling restricted Juul products, with non-compliant retailers expected to appear at the January 28 meeting.