License commission finds violations at Clock Beer & Wine Store; issues warning and management conditions
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Summary
The commission found the Clock Beer & Wine Store in violation of commission rules after a June 12 inspection, issued a formal warning and required the manager of record to be on-site for 30–40 hours per week and to ensure TIP certifications and required signage.
The Worcester License Commission found that violations of its rules occurred at Clock Beer & Wine Store (22 Front Street) after a police inspection of the premises on June 12, 2025, and issued a formal warning with conditions at its Aug. 7 meeting.
Sergeant Thomas Needham, who reported on the police inspection, told the commission he entered the store on the evening of June 12 while operating in an undercover supervisory capacity. Needham said he found an employee serving alcohol who did not have the required TIP server certification on file and that the required posting of warning signs (driving under the influence and possession of alcoholic beverages in a vehicle) was not displayed inside the business as required by Rule 19 of the Worcester License Commission rules. Needham said he did not attempt a purchase and did not observe any alcohol sales during that visit.
Attorney Steven Madaus, representing the licensee, and representatives for the store admitted the violations and told the commission the premises had been closed since the incident while ownership and managerial paperwork were being updated. “We admit to the violations,” Steven Madaus said, acknowledging the June 12 inspection and the absence of required documentation for employees.
The commission voted that violations of Rules 19 and 20 occurred and imposed a warning. Commissioners said the store must provide copies of the approved manager’s TIP certification to Deborah Steele in Inspectional Services, ensure all employees who serve alcohol have TIP certification on file and post the required warning signage. The approved manager of record, identified in the record as Anderson Wink, remains the manager of record pending completion of transfer paperwork; the commission said Mr. Wink must be on-site and hands-on for 30–40 hours per week while the license remains active to ensure compliance. The commission scheduled a status hearing for Aug. 21 to review transfer documentation and background check status.
The commission noted this was the first violation for the business on record in its files. The office of Inspectional Services and the police will review documentation and confirm the background investigation and manager certification before the next hearing.
What the commission found: a lack of required posted warnings (Rule 19) and evidence that at least one person involved in alcohol service did not have TIP certification on file (Rule 20). The commission’s action was a formal warning with compliance conditions; no suspension or fine was imposed at this meeting.
Next steps: the licensee must file completed transfer paperwork, forward the approved manager’s TIP certification to Inspectional Services, ensure all employees serving alcohol hold TIP certificates on the premises, and install the required signage; the commission will review compliance at the Aug. 21 meeting.
