4 Evanston Businesses Cited for Selling Alcohol or Tobacco to Underage Customers

This week on May 28, 2014 Evanston Police Department juvenile bureau detectives conducted a tobacco compliance check operation at forty-one merchants throughout the city to ensure that minors under the age of 18 were not being illegally sold tobacco.

As a result of this operation, two businesses were found to be in violation and conducted sales to persons under the age of 18. The Walgreen’s at 2100 Greenbay Road and Food 4 Less located at 2400 Main St. were both cited under city ordinance for this violation.

On May 29, 2014 the Evanston Police Department working with the Illinois Liquor Control Commission conducted alcohol compliance checks at twenty four separate locations in Evanston to ensure no illegal sales of alcohol were occurring to persons under the age of 21.  This operation found two establishments in violation. Ward Eight located at 629 Howard St. and La Macchina located at 1620 Orrington Ave. Both establishments were cited under city ordinance for underage sale of an alcoholic beverage and by the Illinois Liquor Control Commission under state law.

These operations are usually conducted twice each year at various times to keep businesses in compliance with state and local ordinances that restrict the sale of products such as tobacco and liquor to persons of age. Individuals that are 18 and older are used for the liquor compliance checks and minors under 18 are used for the tobacco compliance operation with parental consent. These individuals enter the establishment under the supervision of law enforcement and attempt to make a purchase. If the establishment sells the age controlled product without checking the proper identification to verify the underage purchaser is of age, the establishment is then cited for the underage sale.  

All establishments cited under city ordinance will appear at administrative adjudication located at the Civic Center.