The Mapco gas station at 8604 N. Hickory Valley Road was caught selling beer to an underage, undercover buyer on Nov. 3 during a compliance check performed by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s department. The clerk on duty at the time, 6:30 p.m. on a Thursday, asked for and looked at the 18 year old buyer’s ID but made the sale anyway.
While processing this violation, Assistant City Attorney Keith Reisman discovered that the business did not have a beer license from the city of Chattanooga.
He told the board that the location had been annexed into the city two and a half years ago, and that it is possible that the business does have a license from Hamilton County. The only way that a business knows they have been annexed, said Attorney Reisman, is from a notice in the newspapers. It is possible that the store has a license from the county that is believed to be valid.
Despite being given a notice two and a half weeks ago by Chattanooga Police Officer John Collins, about the Dec. 1 Beer Board meeting where the violation would be heard, no representative from Mapco came to the hearing. Since they had sufficient notification, the case was heard Thursday morning.
Technically, they should not be serving anyone without a city permit, and the beer distributors should not deliver beer unless there is a valid license, said the attorney. The board was unable to suspend the store’s license, however, because it does not have one.
The motion that passed requires Mapco to apply for a Chattanooga beer permit by Dec. 15. As soon as it is received, a two week suspension will begin as punishment for the underage sale. If that license is not obtained by Dec. 15, the store will not be allowed to sell beer until the license has been received.
A second suspension for selling beer to a minor, was given to Kanku’s Food Market #1, 101 Glenwood Ave. This violation also occurred on Nov. 3. In this case, the clerk failed to ask to see an ID. The 19 year old undercover buyer was sold a beer. The manager told the board that Kanku’s has a zero tolerance policy and that the clerk had been terminated immediately. This was the first violation for the owner of four Kanku stores in the Chattanooga area, and the store was given a seven day suspension of the beer permit, beginning one week from Dec. 1.
The Residence Inn by Marriott, 2340 Center St. represented by the manager William Kenneth Cleveland, was approved for a permit to serve beer. He told the board that there is no restaurant or bar at the location, but beer will be served at evening social hours when snacks and drinks are available to customers.
Laura Suzanne Sowards is buying Silhouettes Bikini Sports Bar and Grill, 1401 E. 23rd St. from her father. She told the board that she has had experience in managing the business during the times she has been on leave from her job in the military. Attorney Reisman made sure she was familiar with the city’s entertainment laws, to which her father responded “We’re not considered to be an adult establishment.” Ms. Sowards was approved for a consumer permit to sell beer.
Irfan Joseph has purchased a business at 3410 Campbell St. and renamed it John Food Mart. On Thursday, he was given a license to sell carry-out beer at the location, which is the second store he owns. Mr. Joseph was reminded he needs to be a good neighbor, and responded that he plans to prevent loitering and to keep the parking lot clean the same way he does at his store on Wilcox Boulevard.
MainX24, the 24 hour celebration of Chattanooga’s revitalized Main Street and Southside Areas will take place from 8 a.m. on Dec. 3 until 8 a.m. Dec. 4. Four businesses applied for and were given special events beer permits for the street party this weekend. The new, recently opened Station Street will be closed to traffic during the event, and several bars and restaurants that are part of the Choo Choo complex will be able to sell beer outside, along Station Street. The Comedy Catch will be serving beer at 29 Station Street after the parade, from 10 a.m. until midnight. The Choo Choo Partners will be selling beer from a tent on Station Street, starting at noon until 10 p.m., depending on the amount of business. Stir will also have a beer booth on Station Street from noon-8 p.m., as will The Terminal Brewhouse which will set up at the curb cut at the entrance to the restaurant’s parking lot from noon-11 p.m.