Despite a sale to a minor and one commission member’s aversion to alcohol being sold in gas stations, McClure’s in Syracuse had its beer license renewed Thursday.
During the October meeting of the Kosciusko County Alcoholic Beverage Commission, McClure’s president Kelly McClure said that the employee who commited the violation June 9 has been fired.
McClure said the employee was busy and it was during a shift change, and instead of carding a minor working with excise officers, she entered her own birthday.
McClure said employees go through extensive training and the company has a zero tolerance policy for employees selling alcohol or tobacco to minors.
Commission member Elim Smith reminded McClure that when she first appeared before the commission, Smith rejected the request.
Smith said his policy is to always vote against gas stations applying for licenses.
“If you remember when I rejected it, you said ‘(sale of alcohol to minors) won’t happen on my watch.’ And I told you no matter what you do it will happen. That’s the reason I’m against alcohol in gas stations,” Smith said to McClure.
McClure’s paid a $500 fine after the incident. They were approved for a one-year renewal.
That means whether the business has a violation or not, a representative has to appear before the commission.
Circle K, 606 N. Main St., North Webster, was approved for a new beer and wine license Thursday.
The vote was 2-1 with Smith voting against. Commission member Gordon Vanator was absent from Thursday’s meeting.
Because the vote wasn’t unanimous, the store isn’t eligible for a letter of authority that would allow them to start selling immediately.
Now the store must wait for the state’s commission to meet and then wait for their license to be mailed.
Irene Lopez was approved to have ownership transfered to her for Los Gordos, East Winona Avenue in Warsaw.
The following businesses had their licenses renewed without violations: – New Market, Syracuse – 8WW Cuisines, Warsaw – Spikes/Noa Noa, Warsaw – Warsaw Bowl – Silver Inn – American Legion Post 49, Warsaw – Wagon Wheel Theatre, Warsaw – Lance’s New Market, North Webster – Wawasee Bowling Lanes, Syracuse – Applebee’s, Warsaw – Pie Eyed Petey’s, Leesburg – Eagle Creek Farm Market, Winona Lake
