Rolling Meadows businesses fined for liquor violations

Two Rolling Meadows businesses were fined Friday for violating the city's liquor licenses.

Russell's Barbecue, 2885 Algonquin Road, was fined $1,500, and Garden Liquors, 2202 Algonquin Road, was fined $2,000. If either of the businesses violates the local liquor laws again before March 19, 2010, their liquor license will be suspended for several days. The owners agreed to pay the fines instead of going through a trial.

Mayor Ken Nelson - who also serves as the city's liquor control commissioner - doled out the fines during a hearing at city hall.

The Russell's Barbecue violation dates back to Dec. 28, when one of the restaurant's employees served a beer to minor during a sting put on by the Rolling Meadows Police Department. However, in this case, both the "customer" and the employee were under 21 years old, according city documents.

"I'm equally concerned about the person who sold the beverage," Nelson said. "You need to have someone behind the counter who is ringing up drinks who is older than 21."

The vast majority of liquor license violations have to do with selling an alcoholic drink to a minor. That wasn't the case with Garden Liquors, according to city documents. On Oct. 21, police caught the owner, Joseph V. Varkey, selling three men beer and letting them drink the beer in a storage room located inside the liquor store. Then on Dec. 10, Varkey paid $500 to buy stolen bottles of liquor, according to city documents.

"This is an unusual case," Nelson said. "Most of the violations we see have to do with selling liquor to minors. Here you consumed alcohol on the premises and were in possession of stolen liquor."

"My client clearly understands the significance of these violations and it won't happen again," said James Busch, Varkey's attorney.

Both businesses have 30 days to pay their fines.