Two Algonquin Establishments Each Agree to $1,000 Fine After Alleged Liquor License Violations

Two separate Algonquin establishments have agreed to pay $1,000 fines after alleged liquor license violations last November.

Both Jewel-Osco, 1501 E. Algonquin Road, and Montarra Grill, 1491 S. Randall Road, received citations for allegedly serving alcohol to minors on Nov. 24, 2010.

Representatives from the two establishments sat before the Algonquin Liquor Control Commission on Tuesday.

George Kanellos, president of Montarra Inc., said that the bartender who sold two bottles of Blue Moon to two minors had carded the individuals, but failed to notice both were underage because she was tired from working a long shift. It was the night before Thanksgiving, Kanellos said, which is typically a very busy night of the year for bars and restaurants.

Trustee Bob Smith noted that the night before Thanksgiving is one of the deadliest nights of the year for drunk driving and that employees should be more attentive when checking IDs that night, of all nights.

This was the first offense for Montarra.

Jewel’s alleged violation occurred at the east side location when an employee overruled the ID checking system and sold a 6-pack of Miller Lite to a minor.

A representative for Jewel said the employee who sold the alcohol had worked for the company for 22 years and it was simply a bad judgment call on the employee’s behalf. The employee took a three-day pay cut.