News Article

Bar closes over tax issues Reportedly stayed in biz for over two years while under suspensionBy Jordan Valinsky The Crystal, a popular uptown Athens bar, is closed indefinitely following a complaint that the bar has been selling alcohol under a suspended license since 2008. The bar, located at 34 N. Court St., was cited by the state Liquor Control Commission overnight Friday for sales of liquor and beer under a suspended license, said Julie Hinds, a public information officer for the Ohio Investigative Unit. The suspension was related to a tax issue from 2008. "We received a complaint, investigated it; [we] found out there was a suspension and cited [the bar]," said Hinds. No alcohol was seized, she added. Pepson Inc., the owner of The Crystal, cannot sell alcohol or beer until the permit is reinstated after the tax issues are cleared. The suspended license stems from an August 2008 violation for failing to pay excise taxes, according to Liquor Control Commission documents. The bar's owner, Donald E. Pepper, did not pay the Ohio Department of Taxation following the 2008 citation, and that department had the case transferred to the Ohio Attorney General's office, said Gary Gudmundson, a spokesperson for the tax department. He declined to comment on how much the bar owes. Though the Crystal's liquor license was then suspended indefinitely, how the bar continued to operate for three years after the suspension remains unclear. Pepper could not be reached for comment, though he was spotted entering the bar on Monday. Previous Problems This isn't the first time Pepson Inc. has run into troubles, according to Liquor Control Commission documents. Since 1991, Pepson Inc. has received 16 violations from the state. Seven violations are for selling alcohol to underage patrons and three for after-hours consumption and delivery. Five violations are for tax problems under House Bill 231, or commonly known as "Tax Non-Renewal." Liquor permit holders must be up to date on tax payments before their license is renewed. Management was late on payments in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001. The cases were dismissed following payment, according to documents. The final, and most recent, violation was filed Saturday, for selling alcohol under suspension and illegal possession/sale of beer. (Source athensnews.com)


This article demonstrates why we picked one of the main rules that we did and that is the noone under 21 rule. Avoiding any situation in which minors can enter takes away any chance that alcohol is served to them which could possibly lead to criminal charges against the establishment. This article explains that the Crystal received seven violations concerning sales to underage people. However, we chose to completely avoid this by only allowing people 21 years of age and older into the bar.