Crossroads honors businesses

Area shops recognized for passing alcohol compliance checks

After an alcohol compliance check, members of Crossroads headed to Rupam Patel’s Lost Nation Convenient store in Willoughby.

Patel’s store wasn’t in trouble; in fact, it was the opposite. Crossroads was coming to hand her a Distributor of Excellence decal to hang in her store.

For the past five years, Crossroads has partnered with the Lake County Alcohol, Drug

Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office to do compliance checks at businesses across the county that sell alcohol to ensure that they’re not selling to minors.

When the checks first started, businesses caught selling to minors would get responsible server training. In the past three years, however, the focus has shifted to celebrating businesses that help keep minors safe, said Consultation, Training & Education Specialist Katie Gardner.

The businesses that do comply get the Distributor of Excellence decal along with acknowledgement letters. This has been more well received by the business community, Gardner said.

Businesses that don’t comply are still penalized, getting cited on the spot from the Ohio Investigative Unit.

An underage volunteer enters the store and attempts to buy alcohol using their real ID and a marked bill. If they are successfully able to purchase the alcohol, they bring it to the Ohio Investigative Unit member waiting outside who will come in and cite the store.

By and large, Lake County businesses were found to be in compliance this year. Of the 163 stores checked, only 16 were non-compliant.

Patel said it feels good to receive the recognition.

“I always tell (my employees) to check ID no matter what,” Patel said. “I have good employees. Very good employees.”

ANDREW CASS — THE NEWS-HERALD Lost Nation Convenient owner Rupam Patel, left, was recognized as a Distributor of Excellence by Crossroads CTE Specialist Katie Gardner for passing the alcohol compliance check.