Overview
- A confiscated fake Pennsylvania license depicting a 24-year-old Benjamin Franklin that scanned as valid prompted the policy about two weeks ago.
- Staff say the bar’s atmosphere has stabilized under the rule, with many regulars approving and some 21–24-year-olds objecting to being turned away.
- Owner Jody Sweitzer says the change is a risk-management step to protect the liquor license and staff from penalties tied to serving minors.
- Sweitzer consulted an attorney and the Pennsylvania Tavern Association, which confirmed the house rule is legal under state discrimination guidelines.
- Advanced counterfeit IDs costing about $100 can pass hologram and UV checks, and some database-based scanners exclude Pennsylvania, limiting detection options.