Big news for the folks who had high hopes for Shaw’s Tavern: the Florida Avenue restaurant finally got itself a liquor license yesterday, a dramatic change of fortunes for a locale that seemed destined not to survive last year when it was originally denied the opportunity to serve booze along with its meals.

When the restaurant threw open its doors late last summer, it quickly ran into trouble with the city’s liquor regulators because it had served drinks during a soft opening that took place before a liquor license had been granted. It eventually closed its doors, but reopened under new ownership a few months later.

With the new owners, a new application for a liquor license and no further controversies, the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration granted the license this week. The timing really couldn’t be better, either—the newly renovated Howard Theatre opened its doors to the public this week, and it’s just down the street. Cheers to that.