Three Iowa City Bars Fail Alcohol Compliance Checks

Media Release

Alcohol sales law compliance checks were conducted Friday evening, April 5, 2013, at thirty one businesses licensed to sell alcoholic beverages. Working with plainclothes officers, underage persons entered these businesses and attempted to illegally purchase alcoholic beverages. Twenty eight businesses refused to sell to the underage buyers. The businesses that passed the compliance checks were:

• Studio 13 - 13 S Linn St.
• Yacht Club - 13 S Linn St.
• Blue Moose Tap House - 211 Iowa Ave.
• Quinton's Bar & Deli - 215 E Washington St.
• The Convenience Store - 106 S Linn St.
• Club Car - 122 Wright St.
• Casey's - 204 N Dubuque St.
• Deli Mart - 206 E Benton St.
• Gasby's - 1310 S Gilbert St.
• Suburban BP - 370 Scott Ct.
• Suburban BP - 1905 Keokuk St.
• On the Go BP - 2315 Muscatine Ave.
• Deli Mart - 1486 S 1st Ave
• Two Dogs Pub - 1705 S 1st Ave
• Carl & Ernie's Good Time Pub & Grub - 161 Hwy 1 W
• Caliente Night Club Inc. - 171 Hwy 1 W
• The Mill - 120 E Burlington St.
• Pints - 118 S Clinton St.
• Martinis - 127 E College St.
• TCB - 114 E College St.
• Union Bar - 121 E College St.
• It's Brothers Bar & Grill - 125 S Dubuque St.
• DC's - 124 S Dubuque St.
• Sport's Column - 12 S Dubuque St.
• Iron Hawk - 122 E Washington St.
• Bo James - 118 E Washington St.
• The Airliner - 22 S Clinton St.
• Clinton Street Social Club - 18 S Clinton St.



Three businesses checked by police sold to the underage buyers. The employees who sold were each charged with Selling Alcohol to Persons Under Age 21. The businesses that failed the compliance checks were:

• The Fieldhouse Bar - 118 S Dubuque St.
• Mickey's Irish Pub - 11 S Dubuque St.
• The Summit Restaurant and Bar - 10 S Clinton St.


Selling (employee) alcohol to persons under age 21 years of age is a simple misdemeanor, punishable with a $500 fine for the first offense.
Additionally, all violations will be forwarded to the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division for civil penalties against the liquor licenses.

Current research shows that effective and regular compliance checks helps decrease alcohol sales to minors; helps reduce underage drinking which in turn reduces alcohol related traffic crashes, violence, and other health problems associated with alcohol; and helps build healthier and safer communities. Some of the Compliance Checks are being funded through the Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant (SPF SIG) by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP). The goals of the grant are to prevent the onset and reduce the progression of substance abuse, including childhood and underage drinking; reduce substance abuse-related problems in communities, and build prevention capacity and infrastructure at the state/tribal and community level.