A multi-agency sting aimed at underage alcohol sales has identified 17 different area retailers that have allegedly sold potent potables to people under 21.
This operation, which took place on March 11, was conducted as a joint effort of the N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement agency, the office of Alamance County’s sheriff, and the municipal police departments in Burlington, Elon, Gibsonville, and Graham.
According to Graham’s police department, which issued a news release about the operation on Wednesday, the sting’s participants visited 42 retailers throughout Alamance County to conduct “compliance checks” of proper drinking age protocols. The operation’s participants went on to find 17 locations where retail clerks allegedly sold alcoholic beverages to someone less than 21 years of age.
Although the majority of the retailers incurred no violations as a result of this sting, the proportion that did has been a source of concern for Graham police sergeant J.R. Payne.
“We commend the clerks who asked for identification and refused to sell to the underage buyer,” Payne states in the department’s news release. “We are concerned, however, with the large number of establishments that sold to an underage buyer. Our goal is for every location to pass; therefore, we strongly encourage all store managers, clerks, and bartenders to be trained in the laws of alcohol sales on a regular basis.”
According to Graham’s police department, the following retailers failed to observe the mandatory drinking age during the sting:
Alamance County:
Dollar General at 1523 Powerline Road
Sandy Cross Mart 2 at 2073 NC Highway 49 North
K&J Grill at 4038 NC Highway 62
Burlington:
Grove Park Family Fare at 2123 South Church Street
Rick’s Food Mart at 1122 East Morehead Street
Family Fare at 2227 Maple Avenue
Family Fare at 2611 Maple Avenue
Raygo Mart at 2207 Edgewood Avenue
ARA NC (Tommy’s Mini Mart) at 538 Trollinger Street
Food Lion at 178 West Webb Avenue
Elon:
Circle K at 110 West Haggard Avenue
Gibsonville:
Eagle Food Mart at 501 Burlington Avenue
Huff’s at 205 West Main Street
Graham:
6 to 1 Mini Mart at 201 West Harden Street
Family Fare at 301 South Main Street
Graham Mart at 419 South Main Street
Mebane:
Ray’s Mini Mart at 1282 South 5th Street
According to the department, 25 other establishments that were checked during the operation passed the identification test, including all four of the county’s ABC stores.
Those 25 stores that were checked for compliance and passed:
Alamance County:
Circus Food Store 1101 E Main St., Swepsonville
Burlington:
ABC Store 3053 S Church St
ABC Store 1940 N Mebane St
Kwik Way 2753 Alamance Rd
Fairway One Stop 1382 S Church St
Speedway 653 Webb Ave
Food Lion 3535 S Church St
L&M Mini Mart 3503 S Church St
Elon:
Pitstop 807 W Haggard Ave
Gibsonville:
Dollar General 600 Whitsett Ave
Smart Shop 4 305 W Main St
Graham:
ABC Store 603 W Harden St
B Mart 400 E Elm St
Circle K 801 E Harden St
Amoco Food Shop 924 E Harden St
Dollar General 1217 S Main St
Carlie C’s 807 S Main St
Sheetz 1138 S Main St
Haw River:
Food Lion 1125 Roxboro St
Mebane:
ABC Store 1409 S 3rd St
Speedway 1105 Mebane Oaks Rd
Dollar General 107 W Clay St
Tommy’s Mini Mart 300 W Clay St
Lowes Foods 1020 Mebane Oaks Rd
Food Lion 1282 S 5th St
