Gateway Gold owner looks to move business off Main Street
Dominic Cammarano is, at the very least, looking to move his business off Main Street.
On Tuesday night, Cammarano appeared before the Board of Selectman for the renewal of his Junk Dealers and Pawnbrokers License for Gateway Gold and Pawn, but due to a confusion regarding the licenses’ issue date, he’ll have until May to do so.
But with some members of the Board of Selectmen urging him to move him out of his 294 Main St. location and hinting at a the potential to deny one or both of the permits, Cammarano said he will continue to search for an alternative location.
“I’ve looked at a few places,” said Cammarano. “I’m actively looking at the place at the set of lights next to the Salvation Army [on Cranberry Highway]. I’ve talked to the owner there . . . It’s not a booming business like everyone thinks . . . I do have some interest [in moving] and look forward to working with everybody.”
In July, Selectmen ruled that the business could no longer pawn items after finding numerous errors in the application for a Pawnbroker's license. In August, Selectmen voted unanimously to reinstate the Pawnbroker's license, but some said they’d like to see the shop moved.
"I would approve it now, but not for next year," Selectman Peter Teitelbaum said back in August.
Some, but not all, reiterated the sentiment Tuesday evening.
Teitelbaum pointed to a concerted effort being made on Main Street and on Onset Avenue to promote businesses and entities like the Cape Flyer and potentially a commuter rail.
“I know you’ve done your best to try to minimize the impacts,” said Teitelbaum, referencing incidents with people congregating in the area surrounding the business. “The preference really is to move this off of Main Street . . . I think the business would be better situated on Cranberry Highway than where it is.”
“I would have difficulty re-upping the license in that location,” he added. “Good thing you have another four months to play around with it.
“I told Dom [Cammarano] I love him as a friend,” said Selectman Steve Holmes via conference call at the meeting. “But the citizens want this thing moved off of Main Street.”
Selectman Alan Slavin apologized to Cammarano on behalf of the board for an incident earlier this year when Wareham police shut down the business temporarily for not having a license.
“I was very embarrassed that the police came down and shut him down when he didn’t have a license,” Slavin said. “He had a license. It’s very touchy for me when someone sits and closes down someone’s business. It was wrong.”
Cammarano, a former member of the town’s Finance Committee, said he enjoys working with the town.
“We’ll work it out,” he said.