Durango City Council, acting as the city’s Local Liquor Licensing Authority, on Tuesday suspended the liquor license of 6th Street Liquor for 15 days.
City Attorney Mark Morgan said the closure dates for the business at 273 East College Drive have not yet been determined.
6th Street Liquor owners Jared and Amy Thomson attended a public hearing Tuesday, represented by attorney Doug Reynolds. They did not contest the allegations, which included:
- On two occasions, Jared Thomson, working as the store clerk, sold alcohol to customers while intoxicated.
- On one occasion, the store was left unlocked and unattended for at least 15 minutes.
Councilor Dave Woodruff said restaurants and liquor stores are stewards of the community, and responsible alcohol use and service should not be taken lightly. He cited his 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industry.
Leaving a liquor store open and unattended is an “egregious lapse in judgment” that risks allowing anyone to access alcohol, posing a danger to the community, he said.
“Being in the industry that I’ve been in for so long, hospitality is everything. Hospitality is the embodiment of who we are as a community,” he said. “To me, overservice of alcohol and then irresponsible service of alcohol is something that I think fits in with that hospitality standard.”
Councilor Jessika Buell emphasized the risks of leaving a liquor store unmonitored and open to anyone, noting that someone under the legal drinking age could have entered and taken alcohol.
“It’s so serious and it has to be taken so seriously. That’s where it’s super important that we – and you – take your job seriously,” she said. “Not only are you putting your money and your financials at risk, but your employees’, our community’s lives.”
Morgan said he and Reynolds agreed to a punitive stipulation – which imposes consequences on the Thomsons without threatening the business’ survival – to avoid a lengthy adversarial hearing involving witnesses and statutory review.
Councilors followed Morgan’s recommendation to temporarily suspend 6th Street Liquor’s license and ban Jared Thomson from the store indefinitely. Morgan said Thomson may petition City Council to return to work once he has demonstrated sobriety.
Had it gone through a full adversarial hearing, possible outcomes could have included dismissing the matter, suspending the store’s liquor license for a chosen period of time or revoking it entirely.
Reynolds said Jared Thomson acknowledged a serious alcohol addiction, is attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, has a sponsor and is arranging private treatment. He also voluntarily stopped working shifts at 6th Street Liquor to remove himself from an environment surrounded by alcohol.
Amy, his wife, took over Jared’s regular responsibilities in the store, Reynolds said.
“They do know that having a liquor license is a privilege, and not a right,” he said.
Jared said he is making “a very earnest effort to get sober.” The store was a major investment for his family, he said, and he doesn’t want to jeopardize their livelihood if the license is lost.
“I’m just so sorry for my actions and I beg of you guys to just let us keep our license and keep moving forward,” he said. “Whatever we have to do, I’m willing to do it. My poor wife here is going through this with me, and I’m sorry to you as well.”
Amy said she left her full-time job as a medical assistant to take over her husband’s responsibilities at the store.
She said she and Jared, both former bartenders, purchased 6th Street Liquor earlier this year to continue working in a familiar field and build a long-term livelihood.
She apologized for the violations and said they won’t happen again.
cburney@durangoherald.com
