Four businesses in Historic Northeast face the consequences of having sold alcohol to minors three weeks ago.
The city’s Regulated Industries Division caught St. John Market, 3701 St. John Ave., Taqueria Mexico II, 5920 Independence Ave., Food Stop, 4815 Independence Ave., and Pronto Stop, 3550 Truman Road, selling alcohol to people under the age of 21. Food Stop and Taqueria Mexio II management have each agreed to provide education, training and instruction to employees about city ordinances and pay fines — $1,000 for Taqueria Mexico II and $4,500 for Food Stop.
The Pronto Stop management agreed to a two-day total closure of the store. The closure has already been completed.
St. John Market’s management agreed to a 28-day suspension of the store’s liquor license, which began this past Monday and lasts until 1:30 a.m. Monday, March 22. The store will remain open during the suspension but will not be permitted to sell alcoholic beverages.
Regulated Industries Manager Gary Majors said the reason for the differing consequences is related to both the choice of the businesses and the number of previous offenses. After an initial warning, each consequent infraction results in either a closure, agreement not to sell alcohol for a set period or a fee. The extent of these consequences depends on how many previous times the business was caught selling to minors.
This was Taqueria Mexico II’s second offense in the past year, Food Stop’s third, Pronto Stop’s second and St. John Market’s fourth.
Majors said after St. John Market’s 28 days of not selling liquor, the business’ license will be on probation, which means that if there is another incident of selling to minors, an act of violence or excessive police calls to the store, the business would face going through the neighborhood consent process again to regain the license.
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