Three local bars -- the Allen Street Grill, the Shandygaff and the Tavern -- are facing minimum fines of $1,000 after receiving citations for serving alcohol to minors, police said.

Dennis Smolko enforcement supervisor with the Pennsylvania Police and Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement (BLCE) said police and BLCE officers conducted age compliance checks at eight State College locations on Nov. 2. However, bars' names could not be released until the citations were issued.

Smolko said The Allen Street Grill, 100 W. College Ave., the Shandygaff, rear 212 E. College Ave., and The Tavern Restaurant, 220 E. College Ave., will each likely receive a minimum fine of $1,000, which could increase depending on the establishment's violation history.

Noncompliance is defined as "sales of alcoholic beverages to underage individuals trained and supervised by State Police, Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement," according to a press release from the Altoona District Enforcement Office.

The five bars that adhered with age compliance checks were: Tony's Big Easy, 129 S. Pugh St., The Saloon, 101 Hiester St., Sports Café and Grille, 244 W. College Ave., The Phyrst, 111 1/2 E. Beaver Ave., and The Lion's Den, 118 S. Garner St.

Mike Desmond, co-owner of Hotel State College, which includes the Allen Street Grill, said the violations occurred as a result of a doorman who "did not look close enough at [the ID] at the door."

Desmond said a trainee was at the door when the undercover agent came in, and the head doorman had left the door for a restroom break. According to policy, he said, the head doorman should have let a manager know he was leaving the door.

Desmond said he is embarrassed by the incident and that "violations are taken very seriously."

Bars are usually deterred from allowing underage students into their establishment because of the hefty liability and fines that accompany citations, said Greg Koehle, State College Police Department spokesman.

Tavern owner Pat Daugherty said he was working in the restaurant the night of the age compliance checks.

"She asked for a Captain and coke, and I watched my bartender [serve] it," he said, adding that the bartender did not look at the birth date on the ID. "It's our fault. We were wrong."

Since then, the Tavern has purchased a scanner that can confirm the validity of all IDs, Daugherty said.

"We are more of a restaurant than a bar and that makes us more vulnerable," he said, adding that the Tavern does not employ doormen.

A manager from the Shandygaff could not be reached for comment by press time yesterday.

A noncompliant bar's liquor license will usually not be revoked unless it has had a series of recent liquor violations, Smolko said.

Smolko could not say as of press time yesterday whether the bars had previous violations.

Currently the BLCE does not arrest or cite employees who have served minors, Smolko said, adding that this may be something the BLCE would consider in the future.

Underage admittance is not a big problem in State College, because local bars have a large enough legal audience, Koehle said.

Smolko said the BLCE usually conducts age compliance checks at bars or restaurants where previous or alleged violations have occurred.

"We take the minors to the establishments, let them go in and make a controlled purchase. If they are served, we make instant notification and [the bar is] issued a citation," he said.