The Smithville Beer Board voted Thursday night to prohibit On The Way market on South Congress Boulevard from selling beer for 90 days.
The board found the permit holder, Bindyia, Inc. to be in violation of the city's beer ordinance for the recent sale of alcohol to a minor.
The suspension took effect immediately, and the store’s beer permit was reportedly removed by the city Friday morning.
City police conducted an undercover investigation in August targeting all 11 stores in the city limits licensed to sell beer for off-premises consumption.
Police said 19-year-old Danielle Owens, a clerk at On The Way market was the only person to sell beer to a 20-year-old officer from another county who attempted to buy beer at the 11 locations.
Owens was charged with the misdemeanor offense of selling alcohol to a minor.
The investigation, conducted by Lieutenant Holmes and Detective Brandon Donnell of the Smithville police Department revealed that 10 of the 11 stores refused to sell libations to the underage officer.
The city's beer ordinance allows that “Under the finding of any violation of the beer permit holder, the punishment for the first offense shall be a minimum suspension of the beer permit for a period of 90 days. Upon any permit holder committing a violation a second time, the punishment shall be the revocation of the beer license.”
The board also voted Thursday night to grant conditional approval for an off-premises permit to a planned business on East Broad Street next to Los Lobos.
The planned T&B Market owner will be required to show proof that he meets the $25,000 inventory requirement before the permit is issued.
According to the city beer ordinance, “Before a beer permit is issued to any applicant, he or she must show proof of ownership of $25,000 in grocery stock, excluding all tobacco products, gasoline, petroleum products, antifreezes, and beer.”
Members of the beer board are Annette Greek, Steve Hays, Farron Hendrix, Lloyd Black, and Danny Washer.