SOUTHWICK – Lucky Stop convenience and package store was issued a one-day liquor license suspension last night by the Southwick Board of Selectmen.
Owner Subhash Patel and his son/manager Kalpit Patel appeared at a hearing Monday night during the selectmen’s meeting. Police Det. Sgt. Robert Landis also appeared and spoke about the incident where a minor was served.
The minor was a regular customer, said Kalpit, who was the clerk the alcohol was sold to the minor. Kalpit told selectmen he served the young man in the past after checking his ID but he did not ask for an ID the day of the violation.
Landis said the minor’s identification showed a New York address.
“That’s a red flag,” said Landis, adding the customer “definitely looked under 21 years of age.”
This was the second violation for selling alcohol to minors at Lucky Stop. After the first violation, which occurred during a sting operation, the Patels were supposed to attend a TIPS training.
“Had you taken the TIPS class you were supposed to, you might have picked up on something on the ID,” said Landis.
Kalpit said he and his father attended a TIPS training last week.
“We spoke in June and I told you to do it immediately,” Landis said of the TIPS training.
According to Kalpit, he scheduled the class immediately but there were no openings until last week.
Selectman Chairman Joseph Deedy said if it was up to him, he would impose a one-week liquor license suspension because it was a second violation.
Selectman Douglas Moglin asked what the board’s options were as a consequence of the violation.
“You can give a written warning, or a suspension,” said Chief Administrative Officer Karl Stinehart. “You can draft it and they can appeal it.”
Selectman Russell Fox said he did not want to hurt their livelihood, but some form of punishment was needed.
“It’s for your benefit and the town’s benefit,” said Fox. “We don’t want to see anybody get hurt.”
Fox said the board had to “take some action to send a message” and made a motion to suspend the Lucky Stop liquor license for one day. Fox asked for clarification that the suspension was on alcohol sales only.
“Yes, that permits them to open and sell non-alcoholic items,” said Stinehart.
The Patels indicated they would likely just close the store for a day, which the board said could be a Monday or Tuesday because those are slower days at the store.
