Law enforcement sting catches these two Bluffton eateries serving underage drinkers

Two Bluffton restaurants were ticketed Friday for selling alcohol to an underage person who was working with police.

Agave Side Bar, located in the Promenade, and Hinchey’s Bar and Grill on Buckwalter Parkway were each ticketed after investigators from the Bluffton Police Department and the S.C. Law Enforcement Division visited the establishments, according to a police department news release,.

Employees at both restaurants provided alcohol to an underage person who was working with investigators, the release said.

The two bars were each given a criminal violation and an administrative violation. The criminal violation resulted in a fine of $470. The administrative fine is set by the Department of Revenue, which can vary depending on whether the establishment has been fined previously, the release said.

The criminal violation is given to the employee who serves the underage person and the administrative ticket is given to the owner of the establishment.

“We hope in the future all businesses will make sure they are not serving to underage individuals, but I would like to congratulate those that did comply,” Police Chief Joseph Manning said. “These types of checks are just one step in the on-going process of deterring impaired and distracted driving in the community.”

Establishments that complied with the checks include Breland Liquors Too, Bluewater Convenience Store, Baleada Express, Fat Patties, FARM, Calhoun’s, Corner Perk, The Cottage, Old Town Dispensary, R-Bar, the British Open Pub, Belfair Fine Wine and Spirits and NYC Pizza.

This story was originally published August 1, 2017 at 3:53 PM with the headline "Law enforcement sting catches these two Bluffton eateries serving underage drinkers."