GROSSE POINTE WOODS, Mich. (WXYZ) – The Woods Wholesale Wine in Grosse Pointe Woods closed its business after shipping beer to an address in the state.
The second generation owner, William Matouk, said an employee had fulfilled the order in error. They believe it was part of a covert operation by the Beverage Control Commission.
Matouk considered the punishment unjust and blatant.
“We just don’t know why they are criticizing us so much for a minor violation,” said Matouk. “We made a mistake when one of the employees dispatched it. We would never harm our operations because of three bottles of beer.”
He said the punishment forced them to close for seven days or appeal and, if they lost the appeal, he would terminate his liquor license. They decided to close on Monday.
It is against Michigan law to send beer to a state residence. The store has a retail location and online operation that ships to homes worldwide.
“There is a license that covers beer and wine because of lobbying and other things that happened in the past, you can send wine,” said Matouk’s lawyer, Brian O’Keefe. “But you can’t send beer. This is a trap.”
In 2015, Woods Wholesale Wine was closed for sending alcohol illegally.
7 Action News contacted the Michigan Liquor Control Commission and they declined to comment.