St. Charles businesses face liquor violations

When it came to explain to St. Charles officials why a customer was caught drinking beer on the sidewalk outside The Alibi, the owners didn't have one Monday night.

The bar and grill is one of two downtown establishments facing an escalated penalty after police caught customers drinking beer outside in violation of city law.

In the case of The Alibi, a police officer on patrol observed a man guzzling a bottle of Bud Light while sitting just outside the establishment on 3rd Street. Upon questioning, the man told the officer he walked out of the bar, passing the bouncers, while carrying the beer in his hand. Standing before the city's liquor commission on Monday, owner Rick Simpson said that wasn't true. He produced a letter he said was signed by the man the officer cited. The letter said the beer was concealed inside the man's pants when he left the bar.

"I apologize, obviously, for the bottle getting out," Simpson told the commission. "It was kind of an uncontrollable situation. When a guy has something in his pants, it's not like my staff can strip search everybody going out."

Simpson entered a plea of guilty, but he said he's doubled the security for the tavern since last year. That's when aldermen doubled the fines for liquor license violations. The Alibi now has five violations in the last three years. That could mean a more severe punishment for Simpson. For his violation in 2014, the commission fined him $1,000 plus $500 in legal costs and suspended his liquor license for two days.

The Alibi wasn't the only establishment to throw itself upon the mercy of the commission Monday.

Owners of the Hotel Baker also found themselves apologizing. An officer on patrol observed a woman drinking a Coors Light on the bench outside the hotel back in July. The woman, who may have been accompanied by a female friend who was also drinking, walked passed at least two large signs in the hotel lobby and vestibule. The signs warn patrons that taking alcohol outside the premises is illegal in the city. This is the hotel's fourth violation overall, dating back to 2007.

"First and foremost, the Hotel Baker apologizes to the St. Charles commission and the police department for the incident," said Joe Klein, an attorney for the hotel. "The hotel, and its entire staff, takes these matters very, very seriously. There is no such thing as too much vigilance with our guests. We're sorry for letting you down. We'll do better."

Klein said front desk staff and the on-duty manager have since been trained to watch patrons leaving the hotel to make sure they aren't carrying alcohol.

Mayor Ray Rogina said he will announce the punishments for both establishments within the next 10 days.