Steve

For many restaurants and bars, the prospect of a visit by undercover ABC agents is a constant fear. A single alcohol violation could trigger temporary loss of a liquor license with devastating financial implications for a small business; multiple violations can, quite literally, spell the end of a livelihood. But what happens when the country's biggest grocery store chain is targeted by ABC? On January 3, shoppers at the Barracks Road Kroger found out. Anyone eager for a bottle of vino or a six-pack of suds arrived to find the store's extensive alcohol offerings unavailable. Black-plastic-covered plywood surrounded the massive wine department; the beer shelves were similarly blocked. Signs posted by management apologized to customers and suggested they make alcohol purchases at Kroger's two other Charlottesville locations but offered no explanation for the three-day dry spell. It involved a superteen. "The date of the violation was November 2; the charge was selling to underage,"... - Steve