No Champagne in the ....

Chang-San Chen doesn’t want to be a “troublemaker,” even if it means ending a beloved tradition. After a rough round of bad luck last spring, Chen, owner of Louie’s Superette, was struck with another low blow when his lawyer told him last spring he could no longer give bottles of champagne to his favorite seniors.

According to the CLC, Boston’s “Happy Hour laws” make it illegal for licensed alcohol providers to give away free booze. But Louie’s founder has discovered a way around the problem.

This year, instead of Bouvet, a group of select seniors will receive $10 Louie’s coupons from Chen. So far, he has given coupons to three students, but Chen promises there will be more.

About ten years ago, Chen decided to congratulate some of his favorite customers upon their graduation. At $14.99 a bottle, Chen’s gift of choice—Bouvet Signature Brut—wasn’t cheap. But although the money came directly from Chen’s own pocket, he let the bubbly flow freely. Four years ago, in fact, he had no qualms about giving away nearly 100 bottles.

“They’re happy, I’m happy,” said Chen, adding that the students “are like my children”—an explanation he also cited when he called The Crimson last week to inquire about the health of Mather Lather attendants, whom he’d heard had been afflicted with unfortunate rashes.

Although he doesn’t know the names of past recipients of his generosity—“I go by faces,” he says—Chen claims that he has a good instinct for picking those likely to succeed. According to Chen, one of his favorite seniors is now a mayor in Long Island, and another works in the White House.

Mather students, however, may not be among the chosen, despite their proximity to the Superette. At this year’s Mather Lather, Chen was turned away at the door despite being the Lather mascot two years ago. Surprised, he returned to his store quietly, resigned to a world of no more bubbly, and no more bubbles.