Hambone's in Lawrenceville padlocked for not paying alcohol tax, treasurer says

Editor’s note: Hambone’s said it was reopening Friday.

A popular Lawrenceville bar was shut down Thursday for not paying its alcoholic beverage tax, officials said.

Hambone’s at 4207 Butler St. was padlocked at 1 p.m. after Allegheny County Treasurer John Weinstein obtained a roughly $13,000 judgment against it, according to a news release.

“I am committed to ensuring that all establishment owners remit their alcoholic beverage tax to the county in a timely manner,” Weinstein said. “All establishment owners are offered every opportunity to pay their alcoholic beverage tax via the internet, by mail or in person. It is not fair to Allegheny County taxpayers who pay the alcoholic beverage tax to establishment owners to not have their money submitted to the county.”

No one answered the phone number listed for the bar Thursday afternoon.

According to the Allegheny County website, all sales of alcoholic beverages, including mixed drinks, wine and beer, opened or unopened, are taxable transactions under the law.

The alcoholic beverage tax provides revenues to the county through a 7% addition to the cost of consumption alcohol purchased within the county, the website said. Every establishment within the county licensed by the state Liquor Control Board is responsible for collecting the tax at the point of sale.

Purchases from Pennsylvania liquor stores and beer distributors, as well as complimentary alcoholic beverages, are exempt from the tax, the website said.

As of Thursday, Weinstein has authorized the filing of over 150 lawsuits against delinquent establishments, resulting in over $1 million of delinquent collections. A total of 57 establishments have been shut down and padlocked for failure to pay the taxes, the release said.

Hambone’s website says it has operated for over 30 years.

In August, a 43-year-old woman was found dead inside the bar and restaurant.