The bar is also required to make all of its old and current sign-in books available to the ABC at all times, which creates a significant storage dilemma. “We ran out of room at our tiny bar,” says Battles, who adds that she and her husband have had to resort to storing old membership materials at their home.
NC ABC COMMISSION ISSUES OVER $118,000 IN FINES FOR JUNE
The North Carolina Alcohol Beverage Control (NC ABC) Commission recently reported that they issued over $118,000.00 in fines and/or suspended alcohol licenses for at least 5 days. The fines/suspensions were a result of the ABC June 8th meeting.
These actions were a result of violation cited by North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) agents and other enforcement agencies throughout the state of North Carolina to include local Sheriff Deputies. According to North Carolina ABC, 99 businesses licensed to sell alcohol were fined and/or their licenses suspended.
According to the records obtained from the North Carolina Alcohol Beverage Control Commission, eleven of the establishments received fines/suspensions, in whole or in part, specifically for violations related to the North Carolina Private Membership regulations and totaled $21,950.00.
The least of the fines were $1000.00, which is more than double the annual subscription costs of the Bar Membership platform.
So now that this is happening, here’s what I’ve learned and some tips:
Instead of racking up tons of membership cards and carrying them around in your wallet or losing them somewhere in your car, you can keep a photo of your membership card on your phone. Pro tip: Save the photo in your favorites.
1. You don’t have to be 21. You can be 18 and up and still be a member if the establishment allows people under the drinking age.
2. Members can bring up to five guests with them. All guests have to sign in on the guest log.
3. If you’re inside a “private club” and an ABC officer asks to see your membership card, you need to be able to show it or qualify as someone’s guest. (This is rare, but could happen.)
4. Breweries are different and don’t classify as “private clubs.”
5. There are a crazy amount of alcohol laws made a long time ago that really don’t apply anymore because, well, it’s 2016 and time has turned the tide.
