The Chattanooga Beer Board on Thursday conducted hearings for 11 businesses resulting from compliance checks conducted jointly by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department and the Hamilton County Coalition. The checks were done over two nights, July 24 and July 26.
Chattanooga Police Officer John Collins, who works with the beer board, noted that on the first night 16 businesses were checked and seven sold beer to a minor. He said on the second night 27 checks found five that sold to a minor. There were a lot of stores checked and most did not make an illegal sale, he said.
Hamilton County Deputy Jake Thomas told the board that he did not recall any of the businesses being busy when the compliance checks took place.
Five of the clerks that made the mistakes at the cash register did ask to see an ID when the undercover, underage buyer brought beer to the counter but said they misread the dates. Another clerk said he miscalculated the age after seeing the birth date on the ID. Two clerks checked IDs for age but just made the sale anyway and in two cases, the clerk neglected to ask for an ID.
Assistant City Attorney Keith Reisman told all the business owners that came to the meeting that the employees making the sales would not have had to check the dates because the driver’s licenses of anyone under 21 is framed with a red box, and “Under Age” is always printed on it.
The convenience stores that were checked on July 24 and July 26 and were fined included two businesses that had received a beer permit just about a month ago. A Korner Market at 2328 Rossville Blvd. got a permit in June. The clerk who made the sale told the owner that the store was very busy and he just forgot to ask the customer for identification. Deputy Marty Ray told the board no one other than himself was in the store. The board attributed this failure to the owner not providing proper training for employees. The store will have the option of paying a $500 fine or take a three day suspension of its beer license starting on Aug. 30.
The 4th Corner Store at 2800 E. 4th Ave. was also given the choice of the suspension of its license for three days or paying $500 for selling beer to the undercover agent. There were three people behind the counter when the bad sale took place said Hamilton County Deputy Jake Thomas.
A.J. Food Mart at 2720 Rossville Blvd. just opened on July 19 and got caught July 24. The owner had taken a class on selling alcohol but had not yet sent his employees. He has scheduled them for classes next week. In this case the clerk asked for an ID and transposed the date from 1998 to 1989. Additionally, the store had point-of-purchase equipment, he said, but that check also failed to catch the underage ID. The fine for the mistake is the loss of the ability to sell beer for three days starting Aug. 30, or paying a fine of $500.
Randy’s & Dee’s Market at 2201 E. 37th St. has been in business for 10 or 11 years. The owner Randy Blevins was behind the counter and said he was paying bills and miscalculated the date. “I just made a mistake,” he said. His store was also given a suspension of the beer permit for three days beginning in one week, or the choice of paying a fine of $500.
Kangaroo Express at 4858 Highway 58 sold beer to the minor agent after asking for an ID. He too said that he read the date wrong and a POS system again failed to stop the sale. The penalty is a choice of a $500 fine or license suspension of three days.
Two Mapco Stores were caught in the sting operation. The Mapco Express at 2130 Amnicola Hwy. sold a beer to the minor after asking to see the ID, saying that she looked at the date wrong, and the clerk at Mapco Mart at 9101 Lee Hwy. also misread the date on an ID. The regional manager of Mapco Express, Inc. told the board that it is unacceptable that two of their stores were cited to the beer board on the same day. He said a new system is will be in all stores by November that will scan IDs eliminating “the human element.” With this new system there will be no need for the person at the cash register to enter a date into the cash register. Both of these stores were fined $500. Because they are part of the Responsible Vendor Program, they cannot have their beer license suspended or revoked on the first violation.
The Tiger Market at 5050 Hunter Road is another convenience store which was given the option of paying a $500 fine or having the beer license suspended for three days. The clerk that sold a beer to an undercover agent was distraught, said Deputy Marty Ray. He told the officers that he had ID’d the customer but put the wrong birthday into the cash register. The store was busy that day with three lines open at the time the mistake happened. The area manager, Michael Rosenzweig, did not dispute what happened and told the board that the clerk had extensive in-store training in alcohol sales and had scored 90 when tested on the information.
Keisha Barnes, owner of Ms. K’s Express Mart at 1207 Dodds Ave. had provided professional training in alcohol sales to her employees just as the beer board had asked her to do when she received her license almost one year ago. She also reminded them daily to check IDs she said. She was in the store when the clerk made the illegal sale and said she thought something was wrong. The clerk was fired and arrested because the officers found outstanding warrants for him. “I feel terrible for you—you tried. It’s hard to find good people,” said board member Christopher Keene. This business also has the option of not selling beer for three days or to pay a $500 fine.
USA Fuel’s Gas Station at 1700 E. 23rd St. also failed the compliance check. When officers entered the store after the sale had been made they realized it was the same clerk who had sold to a minor on March 16 this year. She was issued a misdemeanor citation and must turn herself in to the Hamilton County jail at the end of August. The owner of the business, Jim Winters, said for the first offense the court ordered the clerk to go to training and the judge had dismissed the case and after that she had failed again. The POS system also failed to stop the sale which Mr. Winters could not explain. But he told the board that he blamed the method of compliance checks for his problems and said he considered it entrapment. The beer license for this store was suspended for five days starting on Aug. 30.
Four new beer licenses were issued at the board meeting Thursday morning. The Edwin Hotel at 102 Walnut St. received a consumer permit. The Edwin is a boutique hotel with 90 rooms, a restaurant, a coffee shop and a rooftop bar. All employees that will handle beer will go to professional training in alcohol sales and there will be two trainers on staff. Their goal is to exceed the city’s requirements, said General Manager Greg Bradley.
The Wanderlinger Brewing Co. will open near the new hotel at 1208 King St. This business was given a distributor beer permit so they can begin brewing and distributing now before the building they are in is completed. When it is an application will be made for a consumer and carry-out permit. Opening of the tap room is expected to be in mid-October.
The 405 Market, Inc. at 405 Market St. has a target opening date of Aug. 31. It will be an upscale Mideastern bistro. The restaurant was approved for a consumer beer permit.
The Bleu Fox Cheese Shop at 330 E. Main St. already has a carry-out permit but was also approved for a consumer license. The small five seat restaurant will now be able to serve beer along with cheese plates.
Three special events doubling as fundraisers that will take place in September were also given permits to sell beer. Railfest 2018 will benefit the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. It is a non-profit organization and the money raised will help keep the museum afloat said Melanie Krautstrunk who is organizing the event. It will take place at the museum on Sept. 7 from 5-10 p.m. and on Sept. 8 from 12-10 p.m. It will be held outside with museum tours available.
Launch Cha 2018 at 3146 Broad St. at Stratton Hall will benefit a non-profit entrepreneurship academy for the purpose of helping people to start a business. Alcoholic beverages have been donated for the event. There will be a cocktail hour, food vendors, dessert and live music. It is scheduled for Sept. 6 from 5:30-10 p.m.
The Hart Gallery, which is a non-profit organization that helps the homeless in Chattanooga, will benefit from the TN Whiskey Supper and TN Whiskey Festival taking place Sept. 14 from 6-9 p.m. and Sept 15 from 6-11 p.m. at the Chattanooga Choo Choo at 1400 Market St. The supper is Friday night and tastings in the gardens will be on Saturday. The organizers expect 150 for the dinner and 1,500-2,000 for the tasting festival. Tickets are available online.