Beer Board Decides Clyde's On Main Already Paid Enough For Mistaken Serving To Minor

  • Thursday, August 20, 2015
  • Gail Perry

The owners of two businesses came to the Thursday morning meeting of the Chattanooga Beer Board with apologies for mistakes that took place under their watch.

 

Michael Monen, owner of Clyde’s On Main, 122 W. Main St., and owner of five other restaurants in Chattanooga, left the room with the board thanking him for the way he handled a violation of the beer and alcohol code that took place April 23.

This incident occurred during a 90-day follow-up check made after a previous violation found by the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). On April 23 a minor was served a Bud Lite by the bartender after he had seen the customer’s ID which showed he was underage.

 

Mr. Monen told the board that the restaurant/bar had already served the 15-day suspension of alcohol sales imposed by the TABC, and during that time the business lost $30,000 because of it. He said, “We definitely messed up, and own up to the mistake.” After it happened, all employees were retrained in alcohol sales, and the company did “self-inflicted community service,” he said. It also made a nearly $10,000 contribution to the Community Kitchen. The bartender was let go and other staff is frightened, he said. They have been instructed to check every ID, even for someone using a walker. “We’re not going to put ourselves in this situation again,” he said. Mr. Monen said it was embarrassing since the beer board and Chattanooga Police had been instrumental in training employees when the restaurant first opened.

 

City Attorney Keith Reisman told the board that the state statute specifies that once a second violation of alcohol sales has been detected by the TABC, that the beer board must be notified. It also says if the city beer board decides a penalty is due, that it must mirror the one given by the TABC, which in this case would be a 15-day suspension. He also said the statute gives the board discretion to decide if another penalty should be given.

 

Mr. Monen said his business would survive if it was the beer board’s decision to implement another penalty, but that he felt the punishment had already been served. The board agreed and dismissed the case.

 

In a follow-up to a penalty received by the Southern Belle Riverboat on July 16 for serving an underage customer, despite the server being told “You don’t have to serve me,” Joe Reinert, owner and manager came to the meeting to apologize for the incident. He also gave an update on how the business is responding to the violation. He has hired Karen Shostak, director of sales and the trainer for Friends of the Festival which produces Riverbend, to retrain all employees and the owners of the Riverboat Company. They will be tested and have to get a certain score to keep their jobs.

 

A half dozen Special Events beer permits were issued Thursday morning. Chip Baker with Friends of the Festival was given a permit for the last two nights of Riverfront Nights, on Aug. 29 and Sept. 5, each taking place at Ross’s Landing from 6:30–11:30 p.m. These free concerts are in their ninth year and have become a staple to bring people downtown, said Mr. Baker.

 

He was also given a permit for a special concert, Chattanooga United Concert, honoring the victims of the military shootings on July 16. He told the board that it was humbling to organize this event and that all services related to it have been donated. There will be no entrance fee, but a hat will be passed around to collect money that will all be given to the National Compassion Fund, which in turn gives all proceeds to the families of the victims. The day will begin with an armed forces parade at 2 p.m. The event will then move downtown to the riverfront, taking place on the barge that serves as the Coke Stage at Riverbend. It will begin with a memorial service headed by a speaker from the Marines and the Army. A non-specific military fly-by is being arranged. Actor Samuel L. Jackson, a former resident of Chattanooga, will act as emcee. After the memorial “healing service,” the concert will begin. Only then will beer be sold.

 

On Aug. 22 a bike race, The River Gorge Omnium, will take place downtown. It will consist of time trials, criterium racing and a road race. Two businesses were licensed to serve beer during the event that will take place from 10:30 a.m. until around 11 p.m. One permit was given to Melanie Krautstrucnk for a beer garden at the corner of Market and 12th streets. The other was given to Ben Bowers and the Pickle Barrel and will be set up outside the restaurant at 1012 Market St.

 

Ruby Falls will be able to sell beer to visitors on Sept. 19 and Sept. 20 from noon to 6 p.m. at their yearly event Football at the Falls. This is considered to be value added to the admission, said Hollie Baranick. It was designed so that people do not have to miss watching football games and drink a beer. Televisions will be set up all around the building. Employees are encouraged to wear jerseys from their favorite teams.

 

An event named Capture-A Community Filmmaking Event, put on by Gig City Productions, will take place on Sept. 20 at the Majestic Theater, 311 Broad St. from 5-9 p.m.  Jonathan Susman told the board about the third year of this event in which local people capture footage on cell phones or other devices and send it to editors who put the film together coordinating it with original music also sent to them. A movie will be shown inside the theater followed by the party outside.

 

A consumer beer license was given to a new restaurant that is opening in the location of the former TGIF at 2 West Aquarium Way. Puckett’s, originating in Nashville in 1998 and currently operating at five locations in the Nashville area, is opening its first location in Chattanooga. It is known as a family restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week. Breakfast is served from 7-11 a.m. Lunch is served all day and dinner, which is described as Southern, home-styled cooking, and is sold as a meat and three vegetables, and will be listed on a blackboard daily. Local musicians will perform on Friday and Saturday from 9-10:30 p.m. Restaurant employees are in training now. The “soft opening” will take place next Monday, with the official ribbon cutting Sept. 1.

 

Imbibe Wine Spirits and Beer, 1616 Broad St. was scheduled to appear before the beer board but found it to be unnecessary. Attorney Reisman said since beer is now allowed to be sold in a liquor store, the TABC, which licenses alcohol and wine sales, will also issue beer licenses to those businesses.

 

Circle K has acquired all of the Kangaroo convenience stores in the Chattanooga area. This requires that the stores receive a new beer license due to the ownership change. In order to get a new beer permit, each store must pass building and fire code inspections. Four different managers representing 21 locations applied for a new license at the Thursday meeting. Seven were withheld due to failure of one or more city codes, and were scheduled to reappear at the Sept. 3 meeting. The remaining 14 stores were given licenses to sell beer.

 

 

 

 

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