The Warsaw Meijer store had to answer to the Kosciusko County Alcohol and Tobacco Commission Board Thursday after they got dinged for selling beer to a minor.
The store manager, Brock Heyneman, said this was the first violation for the store and it occurred Oct. 20, after a cashier sold a 24-ounce can of beer to a person who didn’t have an ID.
The cashier had asked the customer for an ID, and the woman said she had no ID, so the cashier asked for the date of birth and the customer gave a date that would put them over the age of 21, Heyneman said.
The store got hit with a furnishing to a minor violation and paid a $1,000 fine.
Heyneman said the cashier in question had been an employee at the store for several years and was fired.
Now, Meijer is focusing more on being vigilant when it comes to training cashiers on the alcohol and tobacco policy, Heyneman said, including having them read the policy before being signed on to a register and signing a paper that lists the consequences for not following the rules.
In the end, the local ATC board approved the store’s request to renew its beer, wine and liquor drug store permit.
In other business, the board approved a new application for a beer, wine and liquor restaurant permit for Farmhouse Kitchen and Catering at 9522 N. CR 300E, Syracuse.
Chris and Shanda Scheeren, owners of the Blue Barn Berry Farm, said they purchased the building and plan to serve breakfast and brunch, along with private dinner reservations.
Another new application approved was for a beer, wine and liquor river and lake permit request for Los Toritos Mexican Restaurant, 717 S. Huntington St., Syracuse.
Shayla Canseco said she and her husband have another restaurant and are opening a new one after it’s finished being remodeled. Canseco expects to have about 15 employees and be open in the next month or so.
Also approved Thursday:
• Stonehenge Golf Club, 2850 Pierceton Road, Winona Lake, beer, wine and liquor restaurant renewal.
• American Legion Post #253, beer, wine and liquor fraternal club permit renewal, 756 S. Main St., North Webster.
• Good To Go Oil Company, 617 Buffalo St., Warsaw, beer and wine dealer grocery store permit renewal.
• La Troje, 115 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw, beer, wine and liquor restaurant permit renewal.
• Martin’s Super Market, 1150 Husky Trail, Warsaw, beer, wine and liquor drug store permit renewal.
• Oak & Alley, 114 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw, beer, wine and liquor restaurant permit renewal.
• Double Shot Liquor, 104 E. State St., Etna Green, beer, wine and liquor package store transfer.
• Family Express Corporation at locations 409 Argonne Road, Warsaw; 750 S. Ind. 13, North Webster; 109 W. State St., Etna Green; and 203 S. Main St., Leesburg, beer and wine dealer grocery store permits transfer of ownership.
The next Kosciusko County ATC meeting will be virtual at 1 p.m. July 1. Instructions to dial in can be found at www.in.gov/atc.
