Five West Hartford Stores Cited for Sale of Liquor to Underage Customers

The Department of Consumer Protection's Liquor Control Division worked with officers from the West Hartford Police Department to perform liquor compliance checks on Saturday, Dec. 6, between the hours of 4 and 9 p.m., at all 29 package stores as well as grocery stores licensed to sell beer in West Hartford.

The establishments were tested for compliance by youth volunteers trained and provided by the Governor's Prevention Partnership, to identify stores that would sell alcohol to persons under the legal age of 21.

According to a news release provided by the Department of Consumer Protection, five of the 29 West Hartford stores tested sold alcohol to a minor and are alleged to have failed the compliance check. Those stores are:

• Sam’s Food Store, 1149 New Britain Avenue
• Shop Rite, 46 Kane Street
• Wise Old Dog, 610 Quaker Lane South
• Stop and Shop, 1235 Farmington Avenue
• Harvey’s Wine and Liquor Shoppe, 2542 Albany Avenue

“Compliance operations are consistently useful in helping us identify licensed or permitted locations that are selling alcoholic beverages to minors,” Consumer Protection Commissioner William M. Rubenstein said in the release. He added that the compliance checks are not intended to hurt local businesses.

“Our goal is to find businesses that sell to minors and bring them into compliance with state liquor laws,” said Rubenstein in the release. “With colleges going on extended break and major holidays right on our doorstep, we hope and expect that all liquor permittees will carry out their responsibilities for ensuring that they do not sell alcoholic liquor to underage persons.”

According to the Department of Consumer Protection, the five establishments cited will be scheduled for an administrative hearing before the Liquor Control Commission. At that time they will be given the opportunity to address the charges.