In October, five of 13 island businesses failed a state compliance check testing practices around selling and serving alcohol to underage customers.

“It is not a good showing,” said Mikhail Car-penter, a spokesman for the Washington Liquor and Cannabus Control Board, which conducted the checks.

He noted that typical compliance check success rates range between percentages in the upper 70s to low 90s — far above Vashon’s performance.

The five businesses that failed were La Playa, Mom’s Grocery and Deli, Casa Bonita, Vashon Market Fresh IGA and The Hardware Store Restaurant, according to documents Carpenter provided.

This was the first infraction within a two-year window for the businesses — and the first compliance check conducted during that time frame, Carpenter said.

The penalty is a $500 fine or a five-day suspension of the liquor license; however, because these were first offenses during a two year-year window, business owners can seek an “informal settlement” with the board and reduce the penalty, Carpenter said.

The intent of the checks is to reduce underage access to alcohol.

“They are a proven tool to keep alcohol out of the hands of youth,” he added.

He noted that when businesses fail, investigators return to make sure they are in compliance — and most often they are.

“Typically what we see is if a business fails a compliance check, it does not fail its second,” Carpenter said.

Should a business fail repeatedly in a two-year window, the penalties increase to alcohol license revocation after the fourth offense.

Carpenter could not say when investigators might return to check on the businesses but promised they would.

“I can assure you we will be back out there,” he said.

Businesses that passed the compliance check were Sporty’s, Island Home Center & Lumber, the Red Bike, Rock Island Pizza, Vashon Thriftway, Vashon Liquor Store, Café Luna and Vashon Mart at Chevron.

— Susan Riemer