Alcohol in the news; Musicians play on despite liquor license suspension in Urbana

From the News-Gazette

Musicians play on despite liquor license suspension in Urbana

It seems a lot of people are interested in the Iron Post. There have been a lot of visitors to the blog searching for Iron Post Liquor License. Finally, this story in the News-Gazette provides the answer.

URBANA – It was a long, slow weekend at the Iron Post, a bar in downtown Urbana that lost its liquor license for five days after an undercover investigation earlier this year by the Illinois Liquor Control Commission.

The Iron Post had a five day suspension of it's license.

"We were scheduled for that night," said Morgan Powell, trombonist for the Boneyard Jazz Quintet. "Some bands opted out because there was no liquor served. We decided to go ahead and do it anyway to support Paul.

"It went well. It was a packed house. Unbelievable. I've never seen so many sober people before," Powell joked.

...

Wirth estimated he lost $3,000 during the five-day period last week while his liquor license was suspended.

The Iron Post lost its license for selling alcohol to underage customers during the "Unofficial St. Patrick's Day" weekend in Champaign-Urbana in March.

So, there's the answer, the Iron Post lost it's license for selling alcohol to underage customers during "Unofficial".

"They order the beers and when the beers go on the bar, they turn around and walk out," Wirth said of the undercover agents. "Next thing there are three very large police officers/liquor control commission guys standing behind the bar and writing me and my server a citation."

The two underage customers were a young man and woman, Wirth said.

So, the moral for bar owners is, on days like "unofficial" you should have a person on staff to stand at the door and check ID's. The pay for one person to stand at the door, is a whole lot less than the $3,000 that you'd lose for having your license suspended.

CU Bars in the News, Urbana Issues Alcohol Citations

From WICD, ABC 15

Urbana Issues Alcohol Citations

Urbana- Two bars and one restaurant in Urbana face thousands of dollars in fines and risk getting their liquor license suspended or revoked.

Urbana police arrested three people Friday March 5th for selling alcohol to minors.

The three people who were arrested by police also can face up to one year in jail for selling alcohol to minors.

The crimes took place at Milo's Restaurant, The Iron Post and The Rose Bowl.

Milo's; the Iron Post; and the Rose Bowl.

Exactly why there is stock footage of B-Rad from Radio Maria mixing a cocktail doesn't make any sense. Brad wasn't arrested. Brad works in Champaign, not Urbana.

CU Bars in the News; the Iron Post

From WCFN 49 (Illinoishomepage.net)

The Iron Post is located at 120 South Race Street, in Urbana. Their website isn't quite up to date, as the live entertainment section is from April of last year.

I can't find the video, but the transcript from "Best Bars: The Iron Post (Urbana)" is below.

Dave Benton: When it comes to going out for a drink, some people just love the music.

Jennifer Ketchmark: But tonight's Best Bar goes beyond a long list of tracks on the iPod—it's all live!

Paul Wirth, The Iron Post: "We have entertainment every night but Tuesday."

That means six nights a week of live music at the Iron Post in downtown Urbana—and this place doesn't stick with one genre.

Paul Wirth, The Iron Post: "Every Thursday is U of I jazz band. Monday is a jazz jam, Wednesdays and Sundays are small combos. Friday and Saturday nights I have rock cover bands to blues."

And when he says live music, he's not kidding.

Paul Wirth, The Iron Post: "March will be my 35 hundredth show."

As you can tell, variety is key here.

Paul Wirth, The Iron Post: "My tastes are eclectic, I like all kinds of music, you should see my iPod."

And just like Paul's varied taste in music, the clientele is also wide spanning.

Paul Wirth, The Iron Post: "As I like to say, our clientele is from bikers to bankers."

And some of those clients have left their mark on this bar.

Paul Wirth, The Iron Post: "I tell them if they can't be here, send me a card, so there are cards from Africa, Ireland, and various places in the United States."

And check this out—Paul even makes his own cajun spices and spicy barbecue, and of course I had to try it. Pretty spicy!

Paul Wirth, The Iron Post: "The one difference we do is our french fries. We don't deep fry them, we bake them. They aren't fattening, they aren't greasy. We go through about 100 pounds of fries a week."

And you can find your standard bar food and lots of classics, but one thing is different.

Paul Wirth, The Iron Post: "And healthy because nothing's deep-fried.

Not too bad! Another thing you won't want to miss once the weather cooperates is just a sit outside.

Paul Wirth, The Iron Post: "In the summertime I grill steaks on the patio, and people sit outside on the patio, and we have a band out there."

But regardless of the time of year, you are always welcome here.

Paul Wirth, The Iron Post: "Everyone should feel welcome at the Post, it's a friendly place."

Great live music is why this place made our list of Best Bars.

Jennifer Ketchmark has a great job.