WCNC’s Tony Burbeck has one odd story out of quaint little Matthews. A cocaine bust bust steps of the town hall and public library. And the hint that the same prudes who ran lingerie shop out of town are at work here.
The Beantown Tavern got its permanent liquor license approved this week, but could now face a fine from the state ABC board. Meanwhile, the two employees face legal trouble.
Some folks who don’t want to speak on camera and who aren’t involved with the tavern wonder if the bar’s location prompted the raid.
ALE says an anonymous tip led to their find.
One call led to another until it ALE ended up at Beantown Tavern Saturday night.
Agents say they found three grams of cocaine on one employee. She’s now charged with cocaine possession.
See? Odd. Now recall Finery and Shinery, the short-lived underwear shop a couple doors down Trade St. from Renfrow’s Hardware. Nebulous forces in Matthews declared the shop unfit and it moved to Central Ave, what, 18 months ago?
Also recall that the entire Matthews Town Center development has had trouble keeping full. Beantown moved into the spot vacated by Dearstyne’s and seemed to be doing OK. (I’ve never been.)
Now within a week of getting its permanent liquor license, ALE raids it and finds drugs. And get this, the owner of Beantown, Donnie Gaskin, is standing by his employees and says ALE did not, in fact, find anything. Weird.
Now think back to that case out of Virginia we mentioned here involving a bar owner targeted by local authorities for removal. One of the first things the Virginia town tried: A liquor raid that ostensibly found drugs at the bar.
Let’s keep watching this one.
