Tom and Marty’s Town House, a bar and restaurant on State Street, had its liquor license canceled by the New York State Liquor Authority.

Tom’s operated under licensee Shea 89 Inc., which has reportedly defaulted on multiple charges. The SLA said the most recent charges include “pre-mixing drinks and failing to conform to its liquor license terms.” Prior violations included serving alcohol to underage customers, unregistered security guards and failure to supervise.

“I wish that municipalities and mayors had more influence with the State Liquor Authority, but the fact of the matter is, they’re a very powerful and independent state agency that makes these decisions,” saidCity of Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham in an interview with Pipe Dream. “Whether it’s the issuance of a new license or the cancellation of an existing license, they act independently, and that is up to them and them alone.”

At a Sept. 2 meeting, the SLA said that Shea 89 Inc. had defaulted on multiple charges and did not respond to repeated requests from the agency. An SLA official claimed the business appeared to be a college bar and “presented a concern for public safety, health and welfare.”

The SLA sustained the charges, ordering a $1000 bond and canceling the bar’s liquor license. The decision does not stop the business from operating without the license in another capacity.

“It’s truly sad to hear,” wrote James Bryne, a senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, in an email to Pipe Dream. “I always enjoyed my time there. An over step of justice if you ask me”

The Shea 89 Inc. liquor license was originally granted in January 2005. A representative for the state authority told Press & Sun that the cancelation of the license does not prevent the licensee from filing for a reconsideration of the charges.

By contrast, if the license was revoked instead of canceled, the issued liquor license would be terminated. The licensee would then be barred from having any liquor license for two years.

Pipe Dream sat down with Lawrence P. Shea, co-owner of Tom and Marty’s, for an interview in late August, before the liquor license was canceled. Shea expressed concerns about recent police raids being an ineffective strategy in preventing underage drinking and called the punitive response toward Binghamton students “tremendously unfair.”

Another student told Pipe Dream that “it’s weird that Toms is shutting down after they were the only ones to advocate for the students nightlife and call out the excessive raiding.”

The Binghamton Police Department has charged individuals with unlawful possession of an alcoholic beverage at Tom’s within the last year. On April 17, a 19-year-old was charged at Tom’s during a series of compliance checks at local bars.

On the same night, six individuals were charged with “unlawful possession of an alcoholic beverage with the intent to consume by persons under the age of twenty-one years” at The Grove Restaurant and Bar.

Shea did not respond to requests for comment.

Jessica Platz, a senior majoring in psychology, told Pipe Dream she was upset to see Tom’s lose its license.

“I am truly devastated,” said Platz. “It was my lord and savior, Tom’s, and now where am I supposed to go to drink?”