6 Harford County Businesses Fined For Serving Underage Patrons

BEL AIR, MD — Multiple businesses in Harford County were fined Wednesday for serving alcohol to underage patrons. The Harford County Liquor Control Board issued $5,750 in fines for the violations at establishments that served alcohol to those younger than 21 after the liquor inspector for the county conducted compliance checks with law enforcement.

“This is a serious issue here in our county that we didn’t see pre-COVID, and we’re seeing an awful lot of violations,” Liquor Board Commissioner Paul Majewski said at a hearing in Bel Air, where the board found six businesses guilty Wednesday on the charge of selling alcohol to minors.

Said Majewski: “This is an issue that needs to be corrected.”

These businesses were found guilty of serving underage patrons:

• Prost German Restaurant in Aberdeen was fined $250 for serving an underage patron. The business has had a liquor license for 12 years and never had a prior violation, officials said.
• Enotria Restaurant & Grill in Forest Hill was fined $1,000 for selling alcohol to an underage person. It had been issued a $1,000 fine previously for the same offense in November 2017.
• Baldwin's Seafood Restaurant & Lounge of Joppa was fined $750 for selling alcohol to someone under 21. It was also fined $250 for having a bartender under age 21.
• The Greene Turtle of Bel Air was fined $1,000 for selling alcohol to someone under 21.
• Venetian Palace of Edgewood was fined $1,000 for selling alcohol to someone under 21.
• Fortunato’s Pizza of Edgewood was fined $1,500, including $1,000 for serving alcohol to someone under 21; $250 for not keeping records of all employees on premises; and $250 for allowing someone under 18 to sell alcoholic beverages.

The fines for selling alcohol to a minor could run from $250 to $2,000 up to revocation of the license, according to Board Chair Walter "Butch" Tilley.

"The board takes this violation more seriously than all the rest," Tilley said at Wednesday's meeting at the liquor board's headquarters on Main Street in Bel Air. "We have had a serious problem in our licensees."

After Harford County Liquor Inspector William Colburn found one in three businesses failed compliance tests in March, he pledged to conduct more testing.

The fines that prompted six show cause hearings for serving underage patrons alcohol were from tests that Colburn said took place June 4 and July 21. Prost and Enotria served an underage person June 4. Baldwin's, The Greene Turtle, Fortunato's and Venetian Palace sold to underage patrons July 21. A 19-year-old cadet ordered a drink and was served at each establishment.

During a July meeting of the liquor board, Colburn said his goal was to do compliance checks six times a year, including in August.

Related: 1 In 3 Licensees Fail Compliance Test: Harford Liquor Inspector