Downtown at West Second and Johnson streets. Police sealed off the premises. Three officers roamed the bar to check for under-age drinkers. Three other officers blocked the front door on the outside and three others the back exit. There was no way around them.
The first weekend of fall semester at colleges
WINONA, Minn. – Police blocked the front door and back door at Port 507, the current “go-to” college bar downtown, while other officers went inside in what’s called a “compliance check.” Ten persons younger than the 21 legal drinking age were ticketed for under-age consumption. Most were college students back in town to start fall classes. For them it was an expensive night. Tickets run about $250. The police operation began about 11 p.m. As word spread through the crowded bar that three uniformed police officers were inside roaming and checking IDs, under-age drinkers began drifting toward exits, some slowly, some like there was no tomorrow. The officers outside , three at the back exit and three at the front door, were waiting to ask for IDs. There was no escape. Ticketed were:
> Kiley Anne Slaats, 18, of Sussex, Wis., 0.18% blood-alcohol content.
> Zachary Ivan Gapher, 20, of Lake City, 0.16%.
> Sydney Rose Jackson, 18, of Wadsworth, Ill, 0.15%
> Courtney Nicole Lukas, 19, of Almond, Wis., 0.12%.
> Alec Christopher Campbell, 20, of Janesville, 0.11%.
> Kailey Elizabeth Plank, 18, of Sugar Grove, Ill., 0.10%.
> Traverie Lane Sherner, 19, of Maple Grove, 0.07%.
> Grace Rosena Schaffer, 20, of Hampton, .07%.
> Emma Kathleen Riehle, 19, of Wauksesha, Wis., 0.06%.
> Riley Lea Schiernbeck, 19, Ida Grove, Iowa, 0.04%.
The check began with officers looking for younger imbibers with drinks in hand. “May I see your ID?” Some pulled faked cards from wallets. Some said the bouncer let them in. Others said they knew a bartender. Nobody was jailed, just ticketed.
Earlier: Winona bar compliance checks on hold
Interior. Before throngs arrive.
Outback patio. Also early in day.
College crowd
The weekend was the first after classes began at Winona colleges. Saint Mary’s fall classes began on Monday, Winona State’s on Tuesday.
Port 507 profile
The bar opened in 2017 at 128 West Second Street in space formerly occupied by Costumes International and before that a security firm and before that a business machine retailer and repair shop. Port 507’s license-holder, Chad Brink, formerly managed two other downtown bars — Gabby’s and Market Street Tap. In recent years a patio was built outback as a smoking zone with bar service. The bar gradually grew a following with events, games, and amateur sports team sponsorships.
Previous check
In a compliance check this July, Port 507 was clean. In recent weeks, however, police had picked up signs of loose bouncer checks and under-age customers. Unlike a much larger compliance check of 18 liquor license-holders in July, which involved three agencies, the latest check was Port 507 alone. Nine officers were assigned to the tavern — a major staff commitment in an understaffed police department of only 40-some officers stretched across 24/7/365 duty.
Higher culpability
Although sanctions are possible against Port 507 as a city-approved liquor license holder, Deputy Police Chef Jay Rasmussen said that housing the license violation is unlikely at this time. The ticketed drinkers had various explanations in how they got in and were served. Several had fake IDs with bogus birth dates, though not all were done well. For license-holders, the police goal with compliance checks is to encourage better staff training. Education is the goal, he said. Even so, he said, “The bottom line is they’re not doing a good enough job at the door.”