No decision yet on Twin-Cities liquor license holder accused of COVID rule violations

Posted on January 6, 2021
Joe’s Station House and Pizza Pub in Normal is accused of serving customers inside its restaurant at The Shoppes of College Hills three times late last year. (Photo courtesy: Heart of Illinois ABC)

By Heart of Illinois ABC

BLOOMINGTON – A hearing was held in Uptown Normal Tuesday, but there was no decision whether a local restaurant and bar violated terms of its liquor license by defying Gov. JB Pritzker’s COVID-19 restrictions.

Joe’s Station House and Pizza Pub in Normal is accused of serving customers inside its restaurant at The Shoppes of College Hills three times late last year.

Joe’s owners, the Wargo brothers, were recently fined $600 by the Bloomington Liquor Commission for similar offenses at their bar on G.E. Road.

Just like the Bloomington case, the owners are represented by prominent attorney Thomas DeVore, who represents businesses statewide encouraging them to defy Pritzker’s executive order because he claims it is not the law.

The administrative hearing officer, former Bloomington and Normal City Attorney Todd Greenburg, is holding off on making a recommendation to Normal’s liquor commission on possible action.

Greenburg wants to review a transcript of Tuesday’s proceeding, which won’t be available for about a week.

Normal Town Council members act as liquor commissioners. They will have the final say whether Joe’s will face penalties including fines and possible suspension or revocation of its liquor license.

Heart of Illinois ABC can be reached at [email protected]. 

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