Licensing board approves two liquor permits, fines two stores $500 for first-offense sales to minors

The Alcoholic Beverage Control Board met and approved two liquor licenses and imposed fines on two stores after first-offense sales violations.

At the meeting the board approved an off-premises beer license for Dollar General, Store No. 30433, at 2327 Highway 31 W, and approved an on-premises restaurant beer license for Thai Cafe at 132 Highway 76. The board also reviewed two first-offense enforcement matters: the off-premises beer permit for White House Market at 713 Highway 76 and the off-premises beer permit for Neal's Warehouse in Grove at 2934 Highway 31 W. After hearing testimony and viewing video evidence in each enforcement matter, the board voted to assess fines of $500 for White House Market and $500 for Neal's Warehouse.

The actions followed routine roll call and approval of the meeting agenda and minutes. Board members present identified during roll call included Mr. Foust, Mr. Smith, Arman Spicer, Mr. Wilson and Mrs. White.

During the public hearing on the White House Market permit, staff displayed a video the board said showed the sale in question. A representative for the store (identified in the meeting as Kelly) said the employee manually overrode an ID-checking machine and later told management she had been distracted by a customer phone call. Kelly said the store trains employees on ID procedures and described a plan to reinforce supervision. “This is a big deal,” Kelly said of the violation.

Board members discussed prior enforcement and noted the statutory maximum fine for a first offense referenced in the meeting can be up to $1,000; the board settled on a $500 fine for the White House Market violation. The board followed a similar process for Neal's Warehouse: staff showed video evidence, the business representative described corrective steps including changing point-of-sale providers and demoting a manager, and the board voted to impose a $500 fine for that first offense.

The Dollar General and Thai Cafe license applications were approved by voice vote; the transcript records the motions and the board’s affirmative responses. A public hearing for the off-premises permit issued to Neal’s Poorhouse and Grub was opened but no one appeared to speak and the board closed that hearing with no action recorded.

All votes on the substantive licensing and enforcement items were taken by voice and recorded as affirmative. The board closed the meeting after the listed business was completed.

Notes on process and evidence: staff relied on recorded video evidence for the enforcement hearings and asked store representatives to appear and explain the circumstances. In both enforcement matters the board described the violations as first offenses and applied $500 fines rather than revoking permits.