Celebrity chef Mario Batali will temporarily close the wine store at his Italian market, Eataly, for six months and pay a $500,000 fine to the New York State Liquor Authority (“SLA”) as part of a settlement with the SLA.
Some of Batali’s business partners in this and other SLA licensed locations also own an interest in an Italian winery. It is a tied house violation when a manufacturer owns an interest in a retailer.