A business where violent crimes have occurred in the past has been given a new permit to sell beer. The original owner of Frank’s Grocery, 601 Tunnel Blvd., is retiring and has sold the business to relatives from Thailand. For the past year, he told the board, he has been training his nephew Kittisak Shatchavan and Natcharee Coats how to run and manage the store.
If all of the city’s requirements and inspections have been met, the regulatory bureau cannot deny a beer license to the applicant. But if something is questionable, the application can be given to the Beer Board to decide.
At the Dec. 19 meeting of the board, there were enough questions that the approval for a beer license was postponed until the Jan. 3 meeting when the new owners were asked to be present. On Thursday, they were informed about the past violent incidents that took place at the store and in the parking lot, including a shoot-out and a homicide.
“You really have to be on your toes and know what is going on,” because of the history at the location, said Chairman of the Board Dan Mayfield. The previous owner said he could not have stopped the crimes and that it could happen anywhere. His permit to sell beer had not been revoked after the incidents.
He will retain ownership of the property and will still be involved in running the store when he is needed, he told the board. The new owners were warned not to allow loitering and Vice Chairman J.W. Cole questioned them about their process of checking IDs for the legal age to purchase alcohol.
Ms. Coates replied that IDs are checked if a customer does not appear to be 21 or if an older person comes in with someone younger and is suspected of making the purchase for an underage person. Then she added that IDs are checked randomly so customers will not know if they will be asked. After hearing her response, Mr. Cole recommended that the applicants be professionally trained by Calandra Smith from the Hamilton County Coalition, the official trainer for the beer board.
“Oh, I answered wrong," exclaimed the applicant, Ms. Coats. “I’m supposed to say that I ID everyone.” That response drew chuckles from the board, but only Zack Atchley commented. He said “It is alarming that the question was answered truthfully the first time and not the second, because the answers were contradictory.” He emphasized the need for the new owners to be trained professionally so that they will know the proper procedures for alcohol sales. Assistant City Attorney Kathryn McDonald reminded the board that professional training is required by the Chattanooga beer ordinance.
A unanimous vote in favor approved giving a new beer license to Mr. Shatchavan and Ms. Coats.