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Directing the Department of Safety and Inspections to proceed with adverse action and the imposition of a $500.00 matrix penalty against the Tobacco Products Shop license (License ID #826567) held by GOGETIT TOBACCO LLC d/b/a GOGETIT TOBACCO for the premises located at 2484 University Ave. W.
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WHEREAS, The Tobacco Products Shop license (License ID #826567) (“License”) is held by GOGETIT TOBACCO LLC d/b/a GOGETIT TOBACCO, owned by Mussie Embaye (“Licensee”), for the premises located at 2484 University Ave. W. in Saint Paul (“Licensed Premises”); and
WHEREAS, The Licensee was notified in a letter from the City Attorney’s Office dated August 18, 2026, titled Notice of Violation and Request for Imposition of $500.00 Matrix Penalty -- Underage Buyer Failure (“Notice”) (Exhibit #1), that the Department of Safety and Inspections (“Department”) recommended a $500.00 matrix penalty for the sale of a tobacco product to an underage buyer; and
WHEREAS, The Notice detailed that on June 18, 2026, at 3:38 p.m., Department Inspector LaTiffany Porter conducted a tobacco underage buyer compliance check at the Licensed Premises. As part of the check, a nineteen-year-old female, retained by the Department to perform the check, entered the Licensed Premises to purchase a tobacco product. The clerk did not ask for her age, nor did the clerk ask for her identification. Nevertheless, the clerk sold the underage buyer a Geek Bar Pulse vape, a tobacco product; and
WHEREAS, On June 29, 2026, the Department sent a letter to the Licensee. The letter stated that the Department had conducted a state-mandated, annual inspection and that a person under the age of 21, hired by the Department to conduct the check, purchased a tobacco product from the Licensee at the Licensed Premises; and
WHEREAS, The Notice laid out the basis for adverse action and the law upon which the Department relied; and
WHEREAS, Because the Licensee failed the tobacco underage buyer compliance check, the Department recommended a $500.00 matrix penalty; and
WHEREAS, On September 1, 2026, the Department informed the City Attorney’s Office that payment of the $500.00 matrix penalty was not received and that the Licensee had not contacted the Department, nor had the Licensee contacted the City Attorney’s Office; and
WHEREAS, The Notice stated that if the Licensee failed to contact the City Attorney’s Office or the Department or pay the matrix penalty by August 28, 2026, that the matter would be placed on the City Council agenda to impose the recommended penalty; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Tobacco Products Shop license (License ID #826567) held by GOGETIT TOBACCO LLC d/b/a GOGETIT TOBACCO for the premises located at 2484 University Ave. W., Saint Paul, MN 55114, is hereby ordered to pay the $500.00 matrix penalty for violation of Saint Paul Legislative Code §§ 310.14 and 324.07(i) and Minnesota Statutes §§ 461.12, subd. 5, and 461.22, subd. 2.