The city’s Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board suspended three liquor establishments for selling hard liquor before the legal hour, allowing illegal activity on premises, and failing to have a pool table license.

Quilvio’s Pub #3

The board issued a 15-day suspension to Quilvio’s Lounge and Liquor, 442 Broadway, on Wednesday night, for allowing illegal activity at the establishment, mainly, selling Chinese enhancement drugs on December 1st, 2015.

The Broadway bar was also cited for failing to keep employees worksheet on Dec. 1, 2015. Again on Feb. 4th, 2016. And it sold hard liquor after the legal hour on Feb. 8th, 2016. It was also cited for failing to furnish a copy of its long form ABC application, according to city records.

Segundo Liquors

The board issued a 2-day suspension to Segundo Liquors, 293 Madison Avenue, for selling hard liquor at 10:28 p.m. The establishment was cited on February 8th, 2016. It also failed to have on hand long form version of its application.

New Jersey laws prohibit liquor establishments from selling packaged hard liquor after 10 p.m. The Madison Avenue liquor establishment was also placed on a 30-day probation period.

Riverside Liquors and Bar

Riverside Liquors and Bar, 402 River Street, was also given a 2-day suspension, for failing to display fetal alcoholic syndrome warning poster and failing to have on hand long form application.

The River Street bar was also cited for having a pool table without a license.

The board initially sought to issue a 3-day suspension; however, the establishment’s attorney Peter Pena objected.

Pena argued the board was issuing lenient terms to others while attempting to punish his client. He said he was “troubled” by the board’s decision to mete out lenient terms to serious violators while punishing his client for an ordinance violation.

Pena cited Segundo Liquors’ two-day suspension for selling hard liquor after the legal hour. “He did have a good argument,” said commissioner James Briggs. “You accepted it, counsel.”

Pena accepted the initial three-day suspension and then made his argument. His late argument though, paid off for his client, who received two-day suspension rather than the original three-day.

The 2-day suspension for both Segundo Liquors and Riverside Liquors and Bar begin on Monday, April 18th, 2016. The 15-day suspension for Quilvio’s Pub #3 begins on May 2nd and runs until May 17th, 2016.