SPRINGVILLE — After going nearly dry for a week by City Council order, Springville retailers are back in the beer-selling business.
Ten of the city's 13 beer retailers could restock their shelves by Thursday night, after the City Council restored the licenses in an emergency meeting.
The licenses had been revoked last week because the stores' clerks sold beer to customers under age 21.
Saying they were ambushed and lost thousands in sales, several angry retailers confronted the council Thursday.
Other store owners and managers took responsibility for the clerks' violations of the law, and one owner even thanked Springville for yanking her beer license because it taught her daughter, the clerk who sold to a police decoy, a lesson.
While taking a hard line against tobacco and alcohol sales to minors, city officials promised retailers the city code would be changed so that in the future, licenses won't be revoked until after the second or third violation.
"We're not here to make it difficult for you to maintain a viable business," said Councilwoman Dianne Carr.
But several store owners were upset not only that licenses were pulled but also that they weren't notified right away. Several said they didn't know about last week's City Council decision until they read it in the Deseret News.
"I have a few concerns about how this was done," said Afton Johnson, owner of Brookside gas station and convenience store.
She said the city attorney's certified letters notifying stores of the revocations arrived at different times, meaning some stores stopped selling last Friday while others didn't stop until Monday.
One store representative who pulled the beer Jan. 7 said his business lost $2,000 because surprised and disgruntled customers couldn't buy beer.
An attorney for Allen's Super Save Market accused the city of violating store owners' rights, but he said the store didn't have plans to sue.
"We think this ordinance is unconstitutional for revocation without notification and chance to respond," attorney Leslie Slaugh told the council.
Beer retailers whose licenses were restored will be required to submit to the city verification that all employees received formal training regarding alcohol sales.
The stores also must craft written policies regarding conduct of employees who sell alcohol.
Several store owners said they fired the clerks who sold beer to police decoys during December.
Other stores have purchased software programs that, in conjunction with cash registers, require a date of birth to be entered before a sale can be completed.
Flying J, 7-Eleven and Ream's grocery store were the only beer licensees whose clerks passed December compliance checks.
Those stores' beer sales continued uninterrupted this week.
Although police said the decoys are instructed not to lie while attempting to purchase beer illegally, one convenience store owner criticized the sting operations.
"They're tricking people," said Mike Cole, owner of Cole's Maxi Mart Taxco.
"They come at times when it's really busy, and they try to force their way through."
Police Chief Scott Finlayson disagreed. He did concede, however, to retailers' requests that police notifying them when clerks pass compliance checks.
Several store owners said they implemented cash bonuses for clerks who don't sell to the stores' own decoys or those used by police.
Not all clerks who illegally sold beer were teenagers influenced by peer pressure.
One of the clerks was a 42-year-old state employee who works in youth corrections, and others were in their 30s, 40s and 50s.
Clerks who were cited were forced to appear in the city's Juvenile Court or Justice Court.
Businesses whose licenses were restored Thursday include Brookside, Allen's, Maxi Mart, Kick 66, Top Stop, Quik Stop and Lube, two Maverik Country Stores and two Chevrons, one at 2009 W. 400 South and another at 1400 N. Main St.