Local bar hit with 15-Day closure and $9,100 in fines for serving alcohol to minors

Above: sign on front door of The Landshark taken on August 3, 2016.

On July 5, 2016, The Landshark, a bar in downtown East Lansing, had its liquor license suspended for fifteen days and was fined by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) after several documented violations, including more than one instance of serving alcohol to minors. A spokesperson for LARA confirms that an order was issued on July 5, 2016 by Administrative Law Judge Mourning, that the bar was to be closed from July 15 through July 30, and that as a result of the same violations the bar have a total of $9,100 in fines due by August 20.

In a sixteen-day period from February 11, 2016 to February 27, 2016, The Landshark was cited four times for serving a minor. The incidents occurred on February 11, 12, 25, and 27, according to LARA. As of August 3, the bar remains closed.

“There was a failure at some level to correctly check IDs or a decision to ignore what might’ve been a false ID,” Lieutenant Tim Smith of the East Lansing Police Department (ELPD) told ELi.

There are essentially four ways a minor can get alcohol at a bar. First, there is the use of a fake ID, which is very common on college campuses. Second, someone of legal age can purchase a drink and hand it to a minor. Third, a minor can order a drink without being asked for an ID, and, finally, the bar might “card” them, and regardless of age, still choose to serve them. The last two are what The Landshark was found to be doing, as well as not showing false IDs enough scrutiny, and these violations involve much stiffer legal penalties, according to Smith.

Generally for a one time offense, a bar would likely face a fine of around $300, and if the fine was not paid within a certain amount of time, the bar’s liquor license would be suspended for 30 to 45 days, says Smith. However, in a case like The Landshark's, with multiple violations in less than a month, a suspension is almost a certainty.

“As the number of violations go up in a relatively short period of time, the penalties become more severe and a suspension becomes inevitable,” Smith told ELi.

With a Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) sign declaring the fifteen-day suspension still posted outside, The Landshark could have reopened as early as July 10, but it remains closed for the time being. A memorandum from the City of East Lansing shows that the license for The Landshark was transferred to JAB Hospitality LLC on October 31, 2014.

JAB lists its sole employee as Jody Haddad, who indicates on his Facebook profile that he is the “Owner at The Landshark MSU.” Brandon Chin also identifies himself on Facebook as “Owner of The Landshark MSU.” We contacted both Haddad and Chin, as well as sending a message to the email address provided on The Landshark’s website. We have not yet received a response from Haddad, Chin, or anyone at the business.

Asked about how ELPD tries to prevent underage drinking at bars, Lieutenant Smith explained that the Department’s approach has become more proactive in recent years. ELPD sends plainclothes officers to bars during peak hours and observes patrons and their behaviors. If they notice something suspicious or an ID not being scrutinized enough, then they will ask for identification from that person. If police are not present, and a bar confiscates a false ID, they will contact the police. According to Smith, during Fall Welcome alone, he will collect up to one hundred fake IDs from bars.

A current MSU student, who wishes to remain anonymous, has used a fake ID, and knows the ins and outs of getting into bars as a minor. This person told ELi:

“It truly depends on the bar. With bars that have a history of minors being caught, it is not easy to get served. For bars off campus that serve alcohol but maybe aren’t as well known as 'hot spots' for kids to go, it is easier to get served,” the anonymous student said.

So what can bars do to protect themselves from inadvertently serving alcohol to minors?

“The biggest thing they can do is scrutinize and be suspicious of out-of-state IDs. Michigan IDs are hard to fake… you don’t see many fake Michigan IDs. In my experience, over 90 to 95 per cent of out-of-state IDs presented at bars are false,” Smith said.

Servers in establishments selling alcohol in Michigan are legally required to receive training that includes rules and best practices related to underage patrons. This training is typically provided through the ServSafe Alcohol Certification program administered by the Michigan Restaurant Association. The Landshark’s violation history includes a citation on April 21, 2015 because the establishment “failed, refused or neglected to obey a written order of the Commission dated 10-17-2014 by failing to provide proof of successful completion of an alcohol server training program approved by the Commission within 180 days of issuance” of its license.

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