Posted on: Wednesday, July 9, 2003
Liquor panel fines hostess bar $29,600
By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer
A popular Kapi'olani Boulevard hostess bar has been slapped with a $29,600 fine, the second-largest fine ever handed down by the Honolulu Liquor Commission.
The owner of The New Office had pleaded no contest to 36 violations of state liquor laws. The charges ranged from employees who were not registered with the commission to employees being fondled by customers.
Debi Tulang-DeSilva, city deputy corporation counsel, had recommended a fine of $15,850 at a hearing last week, but the commission rejected her proposal, citing the seriousness of the offenses.
Several commissioners pointed out that the violations were not one-time offenses but occurred on nine nights, from July 12, 2001 to Aug. 10, 2001.
The charges resulted from an undercover operation by Honolulu police.
Commissioner Chu Lan Kwock wanted to revoke The New Office's liquor license, but her suggestion received no support. Instead, the commission accepted Dennis Enomoto's motion to consider the July 12, 2001, violations as first offenses and next 33 as second offenses and fine the club $29,600.
Whether the large fine will have an impact on The New Office operations is not known. But the club has been successful financially, reporting more than $1.6 million in gross liquor sales — the fourth highest among the 39 establishments with cabaret licenses — last year.
Mark Kawata, attorney for The New Office, argued that owner Patty Tamashiro has taken steps to prevent similar offenses from occurring. He said she fired the employees involved in the incidents and is "more diligent about policing her premises and the people who work there."
Kawata also said that the violations occurred two years ago and that there have not been any violations since.
He declined to comment on the $29,600 fine and would not say whether it would be appealed.
The largest fine ever issued by the commission was $31,500 against Club Yokohama in 2001 for similar violations.
