Tavern Takes Steps To Thwart Underage Drinking
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Smile during visits to The Frog Tavern. The establishment has a dozen surveillance cameras inside the facility and another dozen monitoring the parking lot.
With two violations for serving alcohol to underage customers in the same number of years, owner Michael Kudak, president and secretary of The Frog, has taken extraordinary measures to avoid further fines.
The violations, occurring in the summer of 1999 and on Dec. 24, 2000, were heard in Indianapolis. Fines were levied and paid.
Kudak appeared before Kosciusko County Alcoholic Beverage Commissioners Gordon Vanator and Kenneth Johnson Thursday to say what he's done to avoid further difficulties.
The Frog pays security personnel, preferably married individuals, $12 per hour to check identification at the entrances beginning at 5 p.m., and has servers check IDs again before serving any alcohol.
The cameras can be used to monitor employees to be sure all IDs are being checked.
"I have the highest prices around, that turns the kids away," Kudak said of his $2 per beer and $3.50 for mixed drinks pricing.
Kudak said 75 percent of his annual sales are accumulated in May, June and July when the "summer" people converge on Syracuse. This year food sales outpaced liquor sales.
"Liquor sales are down $61,000," he said. "We have to turn that many people away."
Kudak's renewal requests for a beer, wine and liquor sales permit as well as a Sunday sales permit were approved along with the same permits for The S.S. Lilly Pad, which he also owns.
Two new bar owners, Steve and Linda Yoder, were advised by excise officer Patricia Fleck that one of the biggest violations is to serve underage drinkers.
She showed the couple, who have owned Louie's Bar and Grill in Syracuse since May, how to spot irregularities on a fake driver's license.
The commissioners approved transfer of stock from Arnelda Losee to the Yoders' limited liability partnership as well as approved a beer and wine permit and a Sunday sales permit.
Other approved renewal permits included:
• Nana's Broadway Inc., 104 S. Broadway, Mentone, Nancy Johnson, Warsaw, president and secretary, for a beer, wine and liquor permit.
• Kale Island Beacon Restaurant, 12314 N. Kings Drive, Syracuse, C.C. Rider Inc, John Moran, Fort Wayne, president and secretary, beer, wine, liquor and Sunday sales permit.
• Hank's C-Stores, 10010 N. Turkey Creek Road, Syracuse, Loren D. Fry and Aimee E. Fry, both of Columbia City, president and secretary. Beer and wine dealer permit renewal.
• Liquor Locker, 1001 N. Huntington St., Syracuse, Wylan Inc., Tal S. Smith, Syracuse, president and secretary, beer, wine and liquor dealer permit renewal.
• V.F.W. #1342, 307 W. Chicago St., Syracuse, beer, wine and liquor sales permit renewal.
• Boathouse Restaurant, 700 Park Ave., Winona Lake, Chris Katris and James Katris, both of Warsaw, president and secretary. beer and wine and Sunday sales renewals.
• Channel Marker Restaurant, 5793 E. Pickwick Road, Syracuse, J&M Enterprises Corp. of Northern Indiana, Syracuse, Ronald L. Johnson, Syracuse, president and Steven Johnson, Cromwell, secretary, beer, wine and liquor sales renewal and Sunday sales renewal.
• Stimmelators Gentlemen's Club, 114 E. Washington St., North Webster, Night Shift of North Webster Inc., Samuel Stimmel, North Webster, president and secretary, beer, wine and liquor sales renewal.
• Etna Pub, 204 E. State St., Etna Green, JKL Inc., James Slough and Donald K. Champan, both of Bourbon, president and secretary, beer, wine and liquor sales renewal.
• The Silver Inn Tavern Inc., 105 E. Main St., Silver Lake, Jack A. Warren, Silver Lake, and David A. Surface, Claypool, president and secretary, beer, wine and liquor sales renewal and Sunday sales renewal.
• Stonehenge Country Club Inc., 2850 E. Pierceton Road, Warsaw, V& B Country Club, beer, wine and liquor sales renewal and Sunday sales renewal. [[In-content Ad]]
Smile during visits to The Frog Tavern. The establishment has a dozen surveillance cameras inside the facility and another dozen monitoring the parking lot.
With two violations for serving alcohol to underage customers in the same number of years, owner Michael Kudak, president and secretary of The Frog, has taken extraordinary measures to avoid further fines.
The violations, occurring in the summer of 1999 and on Dec. 24, 2000, were heard in Indianapolis. Fines were levied and paid.
Kudak appeared before Kosciusko County Alcoholic Beverage Commissioners Gordon Vanator and Kenneth Johnson Thursday to say what he's done to avoid further difficulties.
The Frog pays security personnel, preferably married individuals, $12 per hour to check identification at the entrances beginning at 5 p.m., and has servers check IDs again before serving any alcohol.
The cameras can be used to monitor employees to be sure all IDs are being checked.
"I have the highest prices around, that turns the kids away," Kudak said of his $2 per beer and $3.50 for mixed drinks pricing.
Kudak said 75 percent of his annual sales are accumulated in May, June and July when the "summer" people converge on Syracuse. This year food sales outpaced liquor sales.
"Liquor sales are down $61,000," he said. "We have to turn that many people away."
Kudak's renewal requests for a beer, wine and liquor sales permit as well as a Sunday sales permit were approved along with the same permits for The S.S. Lilly Pad, which he also owns.
Two new bar owners, Steve and Linda Yoder, were advised by excise officer Patricia Fleck that one of the biggest violations is to serve underage drinkers.
She showed the couple, who have owned Louie's Bar and Grill in Syracuse since May, how to spot irregularities on a fake driver's license.
The commissioners approved transfer of stock from Arnelda Losee to the Yoders' limited liability partnership as well as approved a beer and wine permit and a Sunday sales permit.
Other approved renewal permits included:
• Nana's Broadway Inc., 104 S. Broadway, Mentone, Nancy Johnson, Warsaw, president and secretary, for a beer, wine and liquor permit.
• Kale Island Beacon Restaurant, 12314 N. Kings Drive, Syracuse, C.C. Rider Inc, John Moran, Fort Wayne, president and secretary, beer, wine, liquor and Sunday sales permit.
• Hank's C-Stores, 10010 N. Turkey Creek Road, Syracuse, Loren D. Fry and Aimee E. Fry, both of Columbia City, president and secretary. Beer and wine dealer permit renewal.
• Liquor Locker, 1001 N. Huntington St., Syracuse, Wylan Inc., Tal S. Smith, Syracuse, president and secretary, beer, wine and liquor dealer permit renewal.
• V.F.W. #1342, 307 W. Chicago St., Syracuse, beer, wine and liquor sales permit renewal.
• Boathouse Restaurant, 700 Park Ave., Winona Lake, Chris Katris and James Katris, both of Warsaw, president and secretary. beer and wine and Sunday sales renewals.
• Channel Marker Restaurant, 5793 E. Pickwick Road, Syracuse, J&M Enterprises Corp. of Northern Indiana, Syracuse, Ronald L. Johnson, Syracuse, president and Steven Johnson, Cromwell, secretary, beer, wine and liquor sales renewal and Sunday sales renewal.
• Stimmelators Gentlemen's Club, 114 E. Washington St., North Webster, Night Shift of North Webster Inc., Samuel Stimmel, North Webster, president and secretary, beer, wine and liquor sales renewal.
• Etna Pub, 204 E. State St., Etna Green, JKL Inc., James Slough and Donald K. Champan, both of Bourbon, president and secretary, beer, wine and liquor sales renewal.
• The Silver Inn Tavern Inc., 105 E. Main St., Silver Lake, Jack A. Warren, Silver Lake, and David A. Surface, Claypool, president and secretary, beer, wine and liquor sales renewal and Sunday sales renewal.
• Stonehenge Country Club Inc., 2850 E. Pierceton Road, Warsaw, V& B Country Club, beer, wine and liquor sales renewal and Sunday sales renewal. [[In-content Ad]]