BERKELEY — A cafe near the Cal campus that used to serve liquor no longer has that ability, because state authorities say it was selling it illegally.
The California Dept. of Alcohol Beverage Control posted a notice of revocation Thursday at the Cafe Durant, located at 2517 Durant Ave. According to the agency, the cafe sold alcohol to people under 21 on more than one occasion.
The revocation came after three investigations by the ABC and Berkeley police. The separate investigations happened within eight months, spokesman John Barr of the ABC said.
The most recent of those happened Aug. 18, 2017, when the store allegedly sold or permitted as many as four minors to drink alcoholic beverages on its property. That accusation came after allegations the store sold or allowed as many as 16 minors to drink alcohol from Feb. 23-March 3, 2017. The first allegation came after the store allegedly sold alcohol to one minor on Dec. 13, 2016.
After the first offense, the store paid a $3,000 fine rather than take a 15-day suspension of its liquor license. It took to a 25-day suspension after the second one, Carr said, then agreed to have its liquor license permanently taken away after the final offense, Carr said.
Cafe Durant can’t apply for a new liquor license for at least a year.