Chattanooga Beer Board suspends two permits at convenience stores

Unrecognizable man buying beer in a supermarket store. beer alcohol tile / Getty Images
Unrecognizable man buying beer in a supermarket store. beer alcohol tile / Getty Images

Both the Discount Mart in Hixson and Harry's #23 on Frazier Avenue were hit with suspensions by the Chattanooga Beer & Wrecker Board on Thursday.

Both were issued violations for selling beer to a minor during compliance checks done by the city on Dec. 15.

The Discount Mart at 4300 Norcross Road was given a 15-day suspension, and Harry's license was suspended for three days. Sandip Patel, representing his father, the owner of Discount Mart, said the employee was new and the point-of-sale system they had in place failed to trigger a notice on the register's screen for a beer product and ID was required.

"The clerk thought it was an energy drink," he said.

He said the system has been fixed and the employee, along with five others employed by the Patels, had undergone the training course approved by the city for employees who sell beer. Trainer Calandra Smith confirmed the staff members had been certified within the last week, and she has scheduled the remaining staff members for next week.

The location had been given a 10-day suspension for a similar violation in 2017. The suspension is set to start Jan. 27.

The board also voted to place a letter of reprimand in the file of Mystik Food Mart on 4th Avenue for operating under an expired license. Attorney John Wolfe argued on behalf of Mystik that it was a clerical error and all taxes had been paid. Wolfe said the situation was rectified within four days of the owner being notified by police, who noticed the permit was out of date while answering another call at the location.

The board approved change of ownership permits for Roger Super Market, 1400 E. Main St.; Mike's Hole in the Wall, 535 Cherokee Blvd.; Mike's Tavern, 5211 Highway 153, Unit 103; Mike's Smokehouse, 3147 Broad St.; Doc Holiday's Bar & Grill; and the Chattanooga Convention Center.

Levy Premium Food Service now owns the food and beverage operation of the facility, though Carter Street Corp. will continue operating it, according to a Levy representative.

A permit for consumer sales was also issued to Milk and Honey, which is expanding its 135 N. Market St. location.

Prior to hearing the violation and application cases, the board spent an hour listening to representatives of the local wrecker industry who are on the city's call list. The board, led by chair Bill Glascock, is seeking to update the city's ordinance governing wreckers on the list.

It plans to create a working panel that will make recommendations to the city council, which has the authority to make any such changes.

Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timespress.com or 423-757-6354.

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