Greer City Police cited three restaurants and three convenience stores last night for selling alcohol to an underage person.
Lt. Jim Holcombe, of the Greer Police Department, said the clerks and bartenders from the following businesses were cited:
• Rhythm and Brews, 213 Trade Street
• Fish Bowl 305, S. Buncombe Road
• Fatz 1361, W. Wade Hampton Blvd.
• Sphinx 100, W. Wade Hampton Blvd.
• Hot Spot, 308 E. Poinsett Street
• Little Cricket, S. Line Street
The sales and reports have been forwarded to SLED, Holcombe said. Fines of $1,092.50 can be levied and repeated citations can lead to a business having its ABC license suspended for three months.
“We’ve found Rhythm and Brews to be a problem area and got to them first,” Holcombe said. “We didn’t get a chance to hit some other locations on Trade Street because people were milling around outside and watching.”
Holcombe said the periodic checks are to “establish a downtown where people are comfortable visiting. We just want the people to follow the rules.”
Holcombe said the police department received reports in the past about outside alcohol consumption at the Fish Bowl. “That’s the first time it was cited,” Holcombe said.
Ironically a former Greer police officer runs the Fish Bowl.
“We were surprised Fatz was cited,” Holcombe said. “That location is careful but they misread the date on the card. They did everything they were supposed to do.”
The operation was conducted by the department’s new Patrol Unit, replacing traffic, which was set up to enhance enforcement. Holcombe said it was the first time the unit was used for this operation. “It was more a learning experience,” he said.
The following businesses did not sell to the underage person.
• Spinx, 3135 Brushy Creek Road
• Applebee’s, 704 W. Wade Hampton Blvd.
• Village Bar and Grill, 242 W. Wade Hampton Blvd.