Durango City Council narrowly approved an entertainment liquor license for River’s Edge Wellness Center, a spa and medspa at 1521 Main Ave., following concerns the business previously served alcohol without a license.
Councilors voted 3-2 to approve the license, with councilors Gilda Yazzie and Dave Woodruff voting in opposition.
River’s Edge co-owner JD Sutton breathed a sigh of relief after the vote.
Speaking before councilors, former employees Faith Hesse and Stephanie Shawcroft said they were aware the spa’s liquor license had not been approved, but they were instructed to serve alcohol to clients without charging them.
“Technically, we’re not allowed to do that, but if somebody from the city comes by, just pretend we didn’t know that,” Hesse recounted.
She said she came forward because she wanted things to be “up front and done the way they’re supposed to be done.”
Shawcroft said she was working at the spa when Sutton brought in wine for clients and told her to look the other way.
“You don’t see this, this is not wine, this is water,” she recalled him saying.
Sutton said he believed it was legal to serve alcohol without charging for it. He said a Durango police officer later informed him otherwise, and he immediately stopped.
“We did provide free alcohol with my understanding that was what we could do per the alcohol (laws),” Sutton said. “However, there was an anonymous tip put out that we were issuing that illegally. And then the city police inspector came and let us know that was illegal, and we immediately shut that down and we have not served any alcohol (since) then.”
Sutton said Hesse and Shawcroft were fired from the spa for unrelated reasons and are upset because of it.
“We thought we were in the right. And as soon as we were told we were not in the right, we simply met code and legality and have not issued it since,” he said.
Deanna Brandt, manager and massage therapist at River’s Edge, said the spa had been serving mimosas to clients, but after learning of an anonymous complaint, staff stopped serving alcohol. Guests continued to ask about drinks, but the spa has only served coffee, tea and water since, she said
“The ladies that were up before, they were employees of ours and they were let go and it was probably not a good time,” she said. “That’s probably why they’re aggravated and coming against us.”
Woodruff, citing his background in the food and beverage industry, said businesses have a responsibility to the community and criticized the spa for not seeking clarity about alcohol regulations.
“By serving alcohol and seemingly trying to undercut the law through a perceived loophole doesn’t sit right with me. You should have clarified,” he said. “We have a responsibility, collectively, to take care of our community. ... Frankly, that was not responsible alcohol service.”
He said when a regulation is ignored, as in this case, it raises questions about what else might be happening.
Mayor Jessika Buell said liquor licenses are privileges and must be taken seriously.
“We have a responsibility to our community, to our employees, to this town and keeping it safe,” she said. “While you were given a slap on the hand, I hope that you know that potentially the next time could be much more severe and (have) much bigger consequences and this is a big deal.”
City Attorney Mark Morgan said liquor licenses help regulate the sale of alcohol, which is subject to strict standards for content, quality and service.
Woodruff said the licensing process ensures establishments serving alcohol – a regulated substance – follow proper procedures and receive appropriate training.
“There's a whole vetting process that you're going around to all of your neighbors and knocking on doors and saying, ‘Hey, I'm going to have this liquor license. Do you approve?’” he said. “And it allows you those one-on-one conversations with folks and to hear their feedback, whether it’s good or bad.”
cburney@durangoherald.com
