Rome’s Alcohol Control Commission is recommending 10-day suspensions for three of the stores caught selling alcohol to minors in an Aug. 12 sting operation.

The violations were the second in 18 months for the BP Amoco Highway 411 Truck Stop at 145 U.S. 411 East, the Shorter BP at 12 Shorter Ave. and the Rome Food Mart at 1810 Redmond Circle.

Click here for a location map of cited stores.

“The third strike, you’re out… I would be very, very careful from now on,” said City Commissioner Jamie Doss, who chairs the ACC.

If the full City Commission adopts the recommendations at its Sept. 7 meeting, the stores would be barred from selling beer, wine or liquor from Sept. 8 through Sept. 18.

Sundays are not counted in ACC penalties, since Sunday package sales are not allowed under state law.

Two-day suspensions are recommended for four of the first offenders: Kwik Way Foods, 1818 Dean St.; Super Food Mart, 304 S. Broad St.; Chuck’s Corner, 200 S. Broad St.; and South Broad Mini Mart, 410 S. Broad St.

“You are told that there will be sting operations,” City Commissioner Evie McNiece chastised the license-holders. “I am so disappointed.”

If approved, alcohol sales would be suspended at those stores on Friday, Sept. 10 and Saturday, Sept. 11.

Letters of warning are recommended for the three first-offenders that documented professional employee training programs: Kroger, 1476 Turner McCall Blvd.; Celia’s Market, 1931 Shorter Ave.; and Mapco Express, 1050 Cartersville Highway.

The owner of Kwik Way Foods testified that he provides training, but ACC members recommended suspension in a 4-2 vote.

McNiece and Jane Slickman favored a warning. Julia Dent, George Kostanias and City Commissioner Milton Slack said the experienced employee who made the sale “should have known better.”

Doss, who voted to break what was a 3-2 deadlock under ACC rules, indicated he thinks suspensions are justified in every case.

“These are very serious offenses,” he said.

Also on Monday, the ACC approved beer, wine and liquor pouring licenses for The Partridge, 330 Broad St.

Rite Aid Pharmacy also will be allowed to sell wine along with beer when it opens its new location at 2005 Maple St. in November.

The board deferred a decision on changing the 50 percent food-to-drink sales ratio required for venues that serve liquor, pending more input from the community.