From press release:
Power of Putnam in partnership with the Cookeville Police Department recently completed alcohol and tobacco compliance checks at 44 Cookeville businesses. These checks are to determine whether clerks are properly verifying legal age before selling alcohol or tobacco products. With close police supervision an underage buyer attempted to purchase alcohol or tobacco at these businesses.
Coalition Director Bill Gibson said “These checks are an important part of our strategy to reduce youth substance abuse, as many youth report being able to purchase alcohol and tobacco directly from retailers in Putnam County.”
Thirty-six of these businesses properly checked the id and denied the sale based on the buyer being underage. These businesses were given a certificate of appreciation for their good work in following the law. Clerks that made illegal sales are given the opportunity to attend a specialized class to enhance their skills and gain a better understanding of the importance of properly verifying age before making a sale.
Power of Putnam brings together community members concerned about substance abuse and addiction to deploy effective strategies to reduce these problems and to help make Putnam County a safe and drug-free community. We partner with many sectors of the community including youth, parents, law enforcement, schools, businesses, media, healthcare professionals, and other state and local organizations to help accomplish this goal. Everyone is important to this work.
For more information or to be a part of our prevention efforts go to powerofputnam.org or the Power of Putnam Facebook page.
| Location | Address | Pass/Fail |
| Smokes and Beverage | 2305 Dodson Branch Rd. #A | Pass |
| T-Mart | 1205 N. Willow Ave. | Pass |
| Super Gas | 660 N. Willow Avenue | Fail |
| Mapco Mart | 10 N. Willow Ave | Fail |
| WOW Wine & Liquor | 36 S. Willow Ave. | Pass |
| McGugin’s Shell | 98 S. Willow Ave. | Pass |
| South Willow Market | 1040 S. Willow Ave. | Pass |
| McGugin’s South Shell | 1175 S. Willow Ave. #A | Pass |
| Exxon | 1101 S. Willow Ave. | Pass |
| The Bread Box Shell | 1090 S. Willow Ave. | Pass |
| The Bread Box | 850 W. Jackson St. | Fail |
| Liquor World | 837 W. Jackson St. | Pass |
| Marathon | 1110 S. Jefferson Ave. | Pass |
| 7-Eleven | 1040 S. Jefferson Ave. | Pass |
| Discount Wine & Liquor | 831 S. Jefferson Ave. | Pass |
| Happy Hour Wine & Liquor | 601 S. Jefferson Ave. | Pass |
| McGugin Shell | 55 N. Washington Ave. | Pass |
| Crown Wine and Spirits | 1030 N. Washington Ave. | Pass |
| Speed Mart | 711 E. 10th St. | Pass |
| The Breadbox Shell | 931 E. 10th St. | Pass |
| American Wine and Spirits | 923 E. 10th St. | Pass |
| Freedom Discount Tobacco | 932 E. 10th St. | Pass |
| JP Market | 1875 N. Dixie Ave. | Pass |
| Sunoco | 1200 Browns Mill Rd | Pass |
| Super Truck & Travel Plaza | 1750 Salem Road | Fail |
| Mike’s Market | 2096 Highway 70 E | Pass |
| Buck Mountain Market | 2509 Buck Mountain Rd | Fail |
| Dollar General | 1742 E. Spring St. | Pass |
| Beverly Hills Market | 1593 E. Spring St. | Pass |
| Circle K | 1300 E. Spring St. | Pass |
| Gulf | 1260 E. Spring St. | Pass |
| McGugin Shell | 55 N. Washington Ave. | Pass |
| T-Mart | 1009 N. Washington Ave. | Pass |
| Discount Vape | 586 S. Jefferson Ave. | Pass |
| Happy Hour Wine & Liquor | 601 S. Jefferson Ave. | Pass |
| Evolve Smokeshop | 650 S. Jefferson Ave., Suite 108 | Fail |
| Kountry Kloudz Smoke Shop | 850 S. Jefferson Ave. | Pass |
| Marathon | 979 S. Jefferson Ave. | Pass |
| Pilot Travel Center | 1111 S Jefferson Ave | Pass |
| McGugin’s Shell | 1099 S. Willow Ave. | Pass |
| Interstate Wine & Spirits | 1427 Interstate Drive | Pass |
| Discount Tobacco Beverage & More | 696 S. Willow Ave., Suite 8 | Pass |
| Discount Wine & Spirits | 696 S. Willow Ave., Suite 7 | Pass |
| Vape Zone | 696 S. Willow Ave., Suite 4 | Pass |
| The Holistic Connection | 921 S. Willow Ave., Suite D | Fail |
| Saffire Vapor | 512 S. Willow Ave. | Fail |