Peabody council OKs cafe owner’s request for drive-thru

PEABODY – For Perfecto’s Caffe owner Nawfel Jay, his public hearing before City Council last week couldn’t have been, well, more perfect.Attorney Jack Keilty spoke to councilors on behalf of the café’s owner in regard to his special permit request to build and operate a drive-thru service window at his 515 Lowell St. business location.Keilty said the request came after numerous customer inquiries about the possibility of adding a drive-thru to more easily accommodate their needs. Keilty said that most of the café’s customers use the facility for take-out services, causing a bit of a traffic jam out front.Keilty said that the 22-car cue would be “without a doubt the longest cue not only in the city, but perhaps in the region.” Cars will line up behind the rear of the building, traveling in one direction of traffic, before exiting the parking lot.Four members of the Peabody community came out to speak in favor of Nawfel’s request, including Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Deanne Healy, who said the owners are both respected and active in the community.”(This) makes Peabody a place where businesses thrive,” she told the council.One man sighted Perfecto’s as a “clean and classy operation.”Councilors James Liacos and Michael Garabedian aren’t typically big supporters of drive-thrus in Peabody; however, both granted their approval.”It’s a no brainer in my eyes,” said Garabedian.”We gave it to Dunkin’ Donuts,” said Liacos. “It wouldn’t be right to not give it to this business, as well.”Councilor Anne Manning, however, voted against the request, stating safety concerns with emergency exit doors opening into the cue of cars.Councilors Dave Gravel and Dave Gamache disagreed, noting there are several instances where customers are forced to cross through traffic in order to enter and exit the building.”The drive-thru will alleviate traffic in front,” said Gamache, who later added. “If you’ve never had a French toast bagel, that’s the place to go.”The council approved the request 10-1.