Santa Cruz Selects Responsible Alcohol Merchant Award Winners

Press release from the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency:

May 11, 2021

Santa Cruz County Friday Night Live (FNL) Youth Council are proud to announce the winners of the 20th Annual Responsible Alcohol Merchant Awards (RAMA) Program! RAMA recognizes Santa Cruz County alcohol merchants who actively work to restrict alcohol sales to minors and are compliant with both local and state alcoholic beverage control regulations. FNL youth recognized and presented 2020 RAMA awards to 81 businesses during a FNL Ad vocacy Day virtual event on April 23rd, to honor merchants’ dedication to reduce youth access to alcohol in our community. FNL Advocacy day allowed Santa Cruz youth to raise awareness of the FNL program, issues that af fect them, and to strengthen community partnerships.

RAMA winners are selected through an interview process that assesses policies and practices including ID check ing, employee training, store layout and security measures to deter ease of access and theft. Youth also con ducted store photo assessments to evaluate compliance to the Lee Law, which prohibits off-sale retailers from cov ering more than 33% of store windows with advertising. All merchants nominated are reviewed and approved by local law enforcement. First-year winners receive a certificate and multi-year winners receive a plaque that they display to illustrate their commitment to limiting youth access to alcohol and actively promoting a healthy community.

RAMA is a program of Santa Cruz County Friday Night Live Partnership, Project CURB (Communities United to Reduce Bingeing) and is supported by Community Prevention Partners Coalition. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety. For additional information about joining FNL or to become a RAMA merchant please contact us at (831) 454-4974.

Sincere congratulations and thanks to these merchants for making Santa Cruz County a safer community. Responsible Alcohol Merchant Award Winners are:

Honorable First Time Winners:

Brady’s Yacht Club
Betty Burgers Trout Gulch Rd.
Burger.
Cantine
Forty First Avenue Liquors Inc
Hula’s Island Grill
La Posta M Bee Liquor Store
Mumbai Delights
Soif
The Jury Room
The Ugly Mug
Zameen At The Point
Zameen at the Hanger
Zameen Mediterranean Cuisine

Honorable Ongoing Winners

Barsi’s Liquor
Betty Burgers 41st Ave
Betty’s Eat Inn Downtown
Betty Burgers Seabright
Boulder Creek American
Capitola 76
CVS Pharmacy Mission St #9332
D’La Colmena Inc
Don Rafas
El Pueblo Market
Exxon Main St
Food Maxx Main St #486
Freedom Meat Locker
Harvest Moon Market
Hindquarter
La Tiendita Market
Nob Hill Foods Main St #617
Olivia’s Cafe
Quick Stop Market Scotts Valley Dr #101
Ride Aid Rancho del Mar #5965
Safeway Graham Hill Rd #786
Safeway Rancho del Mar #640
Scotts Valley Union 76
Seabright Social
Seacliff Plaza Store
Shell Gas Station 41st Ave
Sotola Bar & Grill

Tony& Alba’s Pizza and Pasta
Village Bottle Shop
Walgreens Freedom Blvd. #2810

Walgreens Soquel Ave 3158
Watsonville Valero, E. Lake
West End Tap & Kitchen
Whole Foods Market Soquel Dr 7 Eleven Cardiff Pl #2233 14282 7 Eleven Mission St #2233 29795

Exemplary Ongoing Winners:
Applebee’s
Aptos Natural Foods
Chevron Soquel Dr
CVS Pharmacy Bay Ave #9960
CVS Pharmacy Graham Hill Rd 9853
CVS Pharmacy Rodriguez St #9796
Days Market
Ernie’s Liquor
Four Corners Market
Leo’s Liquors
Live Oak American
Nob Hill Mt Hermon Rd #620
Pajaro Valley Chevron
Palm Market and Deli
Parish Publick House Aptos
Quik Stop Hwy 9 #66
Quik Stop Market E Lake Dr #63

Quik Stop Market Porter St #37
Quik Stop Market Soquel Dr #78
Redwood Keg
Rite Aid Hwy 9 #5968
Rite Aid 41st #05966
Rotten Robbie Mission St #35
Staff of Life Natural Foods
Valero Graham Hill Rd
Whole Foods Market 41st Ave
Wild Roots Market Hwy 9, Boulder Creek

Wild Roots Market Hwy 9, Felton

This press release was produced by the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency. The views expressed here are the author's own.