Evanston restaurant cited for underage alcohol sales

Paige Leskin, Managing Editor

An Evanston restaurant was cited last week for illegally serving alcohol to an underage person.

Officials said Smylie Brothers Brewing Company, 1615 Oak Ave., was found in violation of city and state laws. The restaurant was cited after it sold liquor to an underaged person under supervision of law enforcement without checking identification to verify the person’s age.

Officials from Evanston Police Department and the Illinois Liquor Control Commission conducted compliance checks at 19 Evanston locations on March 25, police said.

The restaurant received two citations — one to the employee who sold the liquor and another to the establishment itself, Evanston police Cmdr. Joseph Dugan said.

This is the first time that Smylie Brothers has been cited for underage alcohol sales since the restaurant opened last year, Dugan said.

The restaurant will go before the ILCC for its violation of state law. Under the general guidelines that the commission follows in penalizing establishments, the restaurant will likely face a $500 fine or a one-day suspension of its liquor license for its first-time offense, ILCC spokesman Terry Horstman said in an email to The Daily.

For violating a city ordinance, Smylie Brothers also faces a hearing at the Civic Center, police said.

Mike Smylie, the restaurant’s owner, said he has suspended the employee who failed to check for proper identification. In the future, any employee who does not card someone who purchases alcohol will be fired, Smylie said.

Alcohol compliance checks usually occur twice a year.

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