MACON, Ga. — Macon-Bibb County continues to push back against convenience stores they call "vice marts."
Mayor Lester Miller says they're sometimes dangerous, and can attract crime. Tuesday, commissioners will decide whether to discipline another one of the stores, when they consider Reliance Food Mart's alcohol license.
Each week at their regular meetings, commissioners decide whether to give out alcohol beverage licenses to qualifying businesses. To get qualified and stay qualified, those businesses have a strict set of rules to follow.
Monday was just another day at Reliance Food Mart on Napier Avenue. It could be the last day they'll sell alcohol for a while.
"I just ask the store owners to try and do much better," said Commissioner Al Tillman. "If you're going to operate as a food mart, you have to make sure the food is ripe and up-to-date."
After a recent inspection, Macon-Bibb County classified the store as a 'vice mart.' That means they're not allowed to sell alcohol. Food marts can. There are some requirements to get that classification.
"We look for at least five types of fruits or five types of vegetables, and then raw meat, milk, eggs, and cheese," said Macon-Bibb Code Enforcement Director JT Ricketson.
Reliance had some of that during the July inspection, but some of the meat was expired, and vegetables wilting. Now, they have one more shot to keep their alcohol license at Tuesday's commission meeting. The county's legal department recommends revoking the license, and Commissioner Tillman says that's the way he'll have to vote.
"I can't go to the commission and advocate if things are out of order, so I'm just asking them to get it in order," he said.
Tillman says he's rooting for the store because people rely on it.
"Everyone doesn't have a car in this neighborhood, so they depend on stores, and if you're going to operate as a food mart, we expect you to operate as such," he said.
Ricketson says all of the code enforcement department's inspections are random visits, so they can see the store operate on a day-to-day basis. He says some vice marts try to pose as food marts so they can sell alcohol.
Mahesh Chaudhari works at Reliance. He says they fixed the issues, and get fresh food in every three days.
Commissioners will consider five other licenses Tuesday. Two are slated for denial.