A police-run sting of downtown, Bolton Hill and Mount Vernon bars and liquor stores netted 17 on charges of selling to underage buyers.
Police community service officers Eric Pettus, 19, and Jill Blueford, 20, visited 23 liquor outlets Thursday and Friday for the city's Central Police District Vice Enforcement Unit.
"The spots were picked relative to complaints we'd received on them," said Sgt. Craig Gentile of the vice unit.
Gentile said the following operations were charged:
Chang Mart, 1700 block of Eutaw Place; Linden Lounge, 900 block of W. North Ave.; Royal Liquors, 1800 block of Division St.; Wonderland Liquors, 2000 block of Pennsylvania Ave.; M & D Liquors, 2100 block of Pennsylvania Ave.; Paradise Liquors, 2200 block of Pennsylvania Ave.; and the North Inn, in the first block of E. North Ave.
Also charged were Harry's Bar in the 1200 block of N. Charles St.; Turf Lounge, 200 block of W. Fayette St.; Uncle Lee's, first block of South St.; Twisters, first block of S. Calvert St.; Jerome's Liquors, first block of E. Preston St.; Midtown Spirits and Wine, first block of W. Biddle St.; the Coconut Cafe, 300 block of W. Madison St.; the Gallery Bar, 1700 block of Maryland Ave.; Buddie's Pub, 300 block N. Charles St.; and the Lighthouse, the first block of Park Ave.
Police said they tested six other liquor-sales operations, but they refused to sell to the officers:
The Park Avenue Sports Bar, 400 block of Park Ave.; the Goddess Show Bar, the first block of S. Eutaw St.; the Harlem, Miami and Midway bars, all on The Block; and the Depot in the 1700 block of N. Charles St.
Gentile said the action was taken as a response to community complaints, complaints from other businesses and parents, and that the findings would be forwarded to the Board of Liquor License Commissioners.
Pub Date: 3/01/99
