East Dundee businesses each fined $1,000

Owners of four East Dundee businesses have pleaded guilty to serving alcohol to minors, the largest group to have done so in recent memory, Police Chief Terry Mee said Tuesday.

Establishment owners pleaded guilty Monday night and will each pay a $1,000 fine.

“It’s important ... that we run these periodic compliance checks to ensure that they are taking the responsible and appropriate measures to not serve a person under 21,” Mee said. “And ... the fine amount is indicative of how important the village feels it is for the licensees to be in compliance.”

The following businesses owe $1,000: Bandito Barney’s Beach Club, Calendo’s Corner and the convenience stores inside the Dundee Shell gas station and the Dundee Marathon gas station. All were first-time offenders, Mee said.

Police employed underage volunteers Jan. 17 as part of compliance checks at 12 businesses. The eight businesses that refused to serve the underage participants received a congratulatory letter from Mee.

Richard Calendo, owner of Calendo’s Corner, said the bar was busy on the night in question, but that it’s no excuse.

Since then, he gave his two children, who both serve drinks the bar, a stern lecture and told them to card everyone from now on.

“We were wrong, we were negligent and that’s it, subject ended. It’ll never happen again,” Calendo said.