Dozens of Businesses Temporarily Halt Alcohol Sales Due to Late Filing

Whole Foods wine aisle. Photo by Jack Dugan.

By Wendy Osher

Dozens of businesses around Maui temporarily stopped the sale of alcohol at their respective establishments today due to late filing, according to the Maui Department of Liquor Control.

Department officials say there were about 30 businesses that failed to submit their gross sales reports from the previous year by the July 31, 2015 deadline.

Businesses were issued a notice on April 1st of the impending deadline, which has since passed on Friday.

Some businesses affected have posted signs indicating that they are not allowing alcohol sales at this time.

Whole Foods in Kahului had a sign tposted this morning in its wine aisle that read, “No sale of alcohol at this time.  All alcoholic beverages are temporarily NOT available for sale.  We apologize for the inconvenience.”

Store representatives say there was a discrepancy with their permit with the liquor commission and the store was unable to sell alcohol for about three hours.  As of 2:15 p.m., the signs had been removed and the store had resumed alcohol sales.

Department officials say many businesses representatives are lined up today with paperwork, and anticipate that the public should see most businesses back in compliance by today or tomorrow.

The process may be slightly longer for some establishments that have corporate offices on the mainland.

Officials say the process occurs around the same time each year, but that this year there was more late filings that usual.