Champion's Pub and Nordstrom Cafe Caught in Alcohol Sting

Champion's Pub and the Nordstrom Cafe Bistro will both be before the Peabody liquor board Monday night for serving alcohol to minors.

Licensing Board members said earlier this month that both establishments were caught up in a recent alcohol sting conducted by the Peabody Police Department.

Police randomly conduct compliance checks during the year at all businesses in the city that are licensed to sell or serve alcohol. Typically, underage college students are recruited as operatives to work with police.

The public hearing notice says the sting was conducted on June 21. Monday's hearing is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. in the basement conference room at City Hall.

In the past, the Licensing Board has given first-time offenders a warning and encouraged them to make sure their staff is properly trained to check IDs. Establishments with violations in recent years (or obstinate storeowners) tend to see their alcohol licenses temporarily suspended.

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In other news, the Lynn Street Mini Mart owned by Mark Downey is slated to become a Richdale Convenience Store.

The board will holding a hearing on an application to transfer Downey's beer and wine package store license to Bangla Corp. for the new Richdale's at 272 Lynn St.

That hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday.

The board has also rescheduled a hearing originally on the agenda two weeks ago on a proposed transfer of the beer and wine pouring license at World Class Billiards over to new owners.

No one showed up at the Aug. 12 hearing and board members are hoping for a different turnout this time.