WHATELY — As the Selectboard mulls the transfer of Club Castaway’s liquor and adult entertainment licenses, the focus of its latest discussion revolved around the new owners’ inexperience in managing a strip club.

At its Wednesday meeting, the board spoke to members of HC Entertainment LLC, the group looking to take over ownership of the business on State Road (Route 5), and asked about their qualifications in running an adult entertainment business. HC Entertainment is seeking a transfer of current owner Whately Investments LLC’s liquor license and an issuance of a new adult entertainment license. Club Castaway’s adult entertainment license issued in 2018 has a no transfer clause.

Head bartender Paula Andrea, one of the three representatives of HC Entertainment present Wednesday, said she has worked in the restaurant and night club industry for 15 years and has been receiving guidance from other business connections in Boston. In addition to Andrea, representatives included partners Alexander Cwiakala and Harrison Bonner.

“Paula mentioned experience in the industry, that’s really the restaurant industry … that’s pertinent to the alcohol license,” said Selectboard member Joyce Palmer-Fortune. “I suspect if you had experience in the adult entertainment industry, you would have already said that.”

The board is concerned with the owner’s experience in running the establishment as the town would like to prevent “inappropriate ownership,” according to Selectboard member Fred Baron.

Cwiakala and Bonner are co-founders of Wollaston Real Estate Investments, which primarily conducts business in Boston and Brockton, but Cwiakala noted he manages 85 apartments in Springfield and Holyoke, and would purchase a home in the area if they can open the club. Attorney Tom Lesser, of Lesser, Newman, Aleo & Nassar, also was present as their counsel.

Prior to the hearing, Lesser told the Selectboard his clients are “willing to abide” by any special conditions the previous owners had on their permit.

Despite his inexperience, Cwiakala said his time in the real estate management industry has given him the skills to manage a club.

“While I have never managed a bar per se, I have managed a lot of people. I have personally built a management team for our rentals,” he said. “While it is a slightly different venue, I tend to find myself as a people person.”

Questions soon shifted to HC Entertainment’s security plan, of which Police Chief James Sevigne said they had a brief discussion about.

Andrea said they have been working with two different consultants on security and employee training, and that those consultants would be invited to the next meeting.

“I would love to hear from your consultant at our next meeting,” Baron said. “Running an adult entertainment facility in Whately is different than running a standard bar in Boston.”

Lesser referenced Massachusetts General Laws and said the licensing authority — in this case, the Selectboard — should grant a license unless it finds the license would affect the “public health, safety or order” of Whately and said his clients are receiving the proper training to run the establishment.

“Although they don’t have the experience,” Lesser said, “they are going to be getting the training.”

If approved, Cwiakala said the plan would be to undertake a “45- to 60-day remodel” before opening at a later date.

“We’re ballparking somewhere in the summer to early fall,” he said.

Located at 226 State Road, Club Castaway, Franklin County’s only strip club, was purchased in 2019 by East Boston businessmen Nick Spagnola and Julius Sokol, and has been closed since Gov. Charlie Baker’s March 2020 emergency order closed non-essential businesses. Prior to the pandemic closure, the club had only been open under its new ownership for a few months, but Spagnola said in June 2021 the club was “working on a plan to reopen.” An email sent to Spagnola Thursday was not returned.

The public hearing on the licenses will continue remotely via Zoom on April 13 at 6:05 p.m.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.

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