City Council to Deal With Liquor License Violators Starting Next Week

The East Providence City Council will start dealing next Tuesday, May 21, with nine local businesses – including five liquor stores -- that have sold alcohol to underage customers.

Two of the businesses – a liquor store and a restaurant – are multiple violators. 

“There will be three show-cause hearings at each of the next three meetings of the City Council, sitting as the liquor licensing board,” said Jennifer Wall of the East Providence Prevention Coalition.

The hearings are the result of a “sting” of the businesses in February and March by the East Providence Police Department working with the prevention coalition, said Wall. Underage customers were sent into businesses to test their compliance with the law.

“Basically, they are simply not carding customers all the time,” said Wall of the businesses. 

The large number of liquor stores cited during the most recent bust “is an issue,” she said. “That’s a large number.”

The liquor stores cited were Town Wine & Spirits, McGreen’s Liquors, Brookfield Liquors – for a second time; Warren Avenue Liquor Mart, and Riverside Liquors.

The other businesses cited were East Buffet – for a third time; The Comedy Connection – for a second time; East Providence House of Pizza, and Gregg’s Restaurant. 

Eight of the nine businesses have already been heard in Municipal Court with the servers fined. Comedy Connection is the only one that still has not been to court, said Wall. 

For the repeat offenders, said Wall, the City Council could suspend the liquor license or even close the business for up to 30 days.

Wall said that all of the violators have trained their servers.

“All of them did take some form of a course,” she said. 

EPPC runs the “21 Proof” Responsible Beverage Server (RBS) course. It’s one of several that meets the state guidelines for anyone who works at a business that serves alcohol. 

Wall provided the following information on the violators and the outcomes in Municipal Court:

• Brookfield Liquors: Edward Burkhardt, $250 fine and court costs.
• East Providence House of Pizza: Erica Moniz, pending disposition, community service and she must reappear in six months to see what fine will be if they have any further violations.
• McGreen’s Liquors: Chelsea Galvin, pending disposition, community service and she must reappear in six months to see what fine will be if they have any further violations.
• Gregg’s Restaurant: Matthew Skodras, $200 fine and court costs.
• Comedy Connection: Lauren Oliveira, will be heard in Municipal Court on Thursday, May 16.
• Warren Ave Liquor Mart: Joshua Peno, $200 fine and court costs.
• Riverside Liquors: Chris Swindell, pending disposition; will return to Municipal Court on June 27.
• Town Wine & Spirits: Muriel Watson, $200 fine and court costs.
• East Buffet Restaurant: Kang Jin Zhu, $325 fine and court costs.

The next EPPC-sponsored alcohol-server training is scheduled for Wednesday, May 29, in City Hall, Room 306. It runs from 9 am to 1 pm. Cost is $25 per person. Checks should be made out to the East Providence Prevention Coalition.