Wal-Mart Supercenter was one of 11 businesses placed on probation recently by the Hinesville City Council after being cited with selling alcohol to a minor, the third such punishment leveled against the local retail store in six years.
The store was ticketed by the Hinesville Police Department on Oct. 15 when a sales associate did not follow a company procedure while ringing up a customer, according to the store’s manager, Walter Davidson.
“We have safeguards at our registers that require (birth dates) to be keyed in. As everyone is carded, a proper date should be keyed in,” he told city councilmembers at a mid-November council meeting. “The associate did not take that proper safeguard.”
Acknowledging previous citations in 2001 and 2004, Davidson said selling alcohol to underage customers is not something Wal-Mart takes lightly and employees caught engaging in the practice are strictly disciplined.
“This is not something that we accept. It’s not part of our company policy and obviously it's not something that needs to be tolerated,” he said. “Our associate had a fault in judgment and was terminated at the point of the infraction.”
Hoping to stem violations in the future, the general store manager said all cashiers are being re-trained on the carding and register key-in procedures and provided with additional educational materials and briefings on alcohol sales laws.
“We have printed up policies in regard to alcohol sales and we have included the city ordinance in regards to the sale of alcohol,” Davidson said. “Also, we’ve had personal discussions with every cashier in regards to the proper sale of alcohol.”
He concluded his appearance before the council with an apology and a promise to be more vigilant in the future.
“(Our company) apologizes for this ... and I’m personally very upset about it because we need to make sure we’re following the guidelines set forth,” Davidson said. “I’ll make sure that does not happen in the future.”
City councilmembers voted to place Wal-Mart on a six-month probation period, effective through May 1.
Other business cited
Sushi House: Nov. 15 through Feb. 1, 2008
Juan’s Mexicali: Nov. 15 through April 30, 2008
El Cazador Mexican Restaurant: Nov. 15 through April 1, 2008
Chili’s Grill & Bar: Nov. 15 through Feb. 1, 2008
Revolutions: Nov. 15 through Feb. 1, 2008
American Legion: Nov. 15 through Feb. 1, 2008
Flash Foods No. 3: Nov. 15 through May 1, 2008
Mobley’s Countryside Store: Nov. 15 through Nov. 1, 2008
Alex Food Mart: Nov. 15 through Nov. 1, 2008
Handyland II: Nov. 15 through Nov. 1, 2008
The store was ticketed by the Hinesville Police Department on Oct. 15 when a sales associate did not follow a company procedure while ringing up a customer, according to the store’s manager, Walter Davidson.
“We have safeguards at our registers that require (birth dates) to be keyed in. As everyone is carded, a proper date should be keyed in,” he told city councilmembers at a mid-November council meeting. “The associate did not take that proper safeguard.”
Acknowledging previous citations in 2001 and 2004, Davidson said selling alcohol to underage customers is not something Wal-Mart takes lightly and employees caught engaging in the practice are strictly disciplined.
“This is not something that we accept. It’s not part of our company policy and obviously it's not something that needs to be tolerated,” he said. “Our associate had a fault in judgment and was terminated at the point of the infraction.”
Hoping to stem violations in the future, the general store manager said all cashiers are being re-trained on the carding and register key-in procedures and provided with additional educational materials and briefings on alcohol sales laws.
“We have printed up policies in regard to alcohol sales and we have included the city ordinance in regards to the sale of alcohol,” Davidson said. “Also, we’ve had personal discussions with every cashier in regards to the proper sale of alcohol.”
He concluded his appearance before the council with an apology and a promise to be more vigilant in the future.
“(Our company) apologizes for this ... and I’m personally very upset about it because we need to make sure we’re following the guidelines set forth,” Davidson said. “I’ll make sure that does not happen in the future.”
City councilmembers voted to place Wal-Mart on a six-month probation period, effective through May 1.
Other business cited
Sushi House: Nov. 15 through Feb. 1, 2008
Juan’s Mexicali: Nov. 15 through April 30, 2008
El Cazador Mexican Restaurant: Nov. 15 through April 1, 2008
Chili’s Grill & Bar: Nov. 15 through Feb. 1, 2008
Revolutions: Nov. 15 through Feb. 1, 2008
American Legion: Nov. 15 through Feb. 1, 2008
Flash Foods No. 3: Nov. 15 through May 1, 2008
Mobley’s Countryside Store: Nov. 15 through Nov. 1, 2008
Alex Food Mart: Nov. 15 through Nov. 1, 2008
Handyland II: Nov. 15 through Nov. 1, 2008