Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com

Published - Friday, March 28, 2008

Compliance checks nab 17 businesses

By ANNE JUNGEN | La Crosse Tribune

Thirty percent of La Crosse retailers failed the city police department’s first round of alcohol compliance checks in 2008, police said Thursday.

The 17 businesses were fined between $285 to $348 for selling alcohol to minors and allowing underage people in a bar, said police Capt. Rob Abraham.

Police checked 56 establishments with a license to sell alcohol during the past two weeks.

In the cited businesses, a bartender failed to ask for identification or served an 18- or 19-year-old undercover volunteer who had shown an ID card that indicated the person was younger than 21, Abraham said.

Despite the citations, police were pleased 39 of those tested passed the checks, Abraham said.

“Our goal is not to issue citations,” he said. “We would love 100 percent compliance and never have to issue citations.”

The following establishments failed the compliance checks: Brother’s Bar, Bucky’s Burger Barn, Festival Foods, Hoffers, Kwik Trip stores on Copeland Avenue and Losey Boulevard, The Library, Pla-Mor Bowling, Quillin’s in the Village and on West Avenue, Ranison Ice Cream, Recovery Room, Sports Nut, Tailgaters, Tequila, the Tobacco Outlet on Mormon Coulee Road and Vick’s Bar, according to police.

Those who passed are: Adams Street Pub; Arterial; Barrel Inn; Betty’s Inn; Cheap Shots; the Citgo gas stations on Rose Street and State Road; Crazey L; Dan’s Place; Dewey’s; Eagles Nest; Fiesta Mexicana; Freedom Gas Station; Glory Days; Goal Post; Grizzly’s; Kings Korner; Kramer’s Bar; Kwik Trip stores on Lang Drive, Rose Street, South Avenue, 32nd Street and State Road, Cass Street, and West Avenue and La Crosse street; the Tobacco Outlets on Mormon Coulee Road, and Hwys. 157 and PH; L and M; Logan Tavern; Mileage; Mr. Stix; My Place; Piggly Wiggly; Players; Quillin’s on Mormon Coulee Road; The Dragon; The Joint; Top Shots; Wal-Mart; and Yesterdays; according to police.

Police said they altered their checking procedure when they learned establishments were alerting others to the checks.

The compliance checks will continue throughout the year, police said.

Anne Jungen can be reached at (608) 791-8224 or ajungen@lacrossetribune.com.