La Verne Beer Board approves off-premise beer permit for Pilot Travel Center at 535 Waldron Road

The La Verne Beer Board on Sept. 18, 2025, approved an off-premise beer permit application for Pilot Travel Center at 535 Waldron Road, described in the meeting as Pilot Travel Center No. 52.

Attorney Ben Aaron represented the applicant and introduced Austin Knapp, the general manager of Pilot No. 52, who answered board questions. The applicants told the board the filing relates to a change of ownership and a renewal; the record shows an attempted ownership change was flagged after privileged taxes were paid in 2022 and an accompanying letter was submitted instead of the required application.

The board asked about the store’s checks and balances for age verification. Knapp described the chain’s procedures: “We check every ID whether you look 12 or 80. We scan every ID. If it’s a government-issued ID, whether it be a passport or not. If the employee on duty, if they’re not a manager, they can’t check — the managers have to swipe their manager card and check it personally,” he said. The applicants also told the board the location does not sell wine.

A motion to approve the off-premise beer permit was made, seconded and approved by voice vote. The transcript records no additional conditions attached to the approval and no roll-call vote was recorded.

The board had no further business and adjourned after the licensing action.