Lawrence’s two Cork & Barrel liquor stores were shut down today following a state ruling that upheld an earlier decision to revoke the liquor licenses of the store’s owners.

The state’s Alcoholic-Beverage Control director, Thomas W. Groneman, today upheld a Nov. 15, 2004, decision by an ABC hearing officer to revoke the licenses of Cork & Barrel owners Dan and Jill Blomgren.

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The Blomgrens plan to appeal the decision to the Department of Revenue. The stores, at 901 Miss. and 2000 W. 23rd St., will remain closed tonight, but could reopen Wednesday morning if the revenue department grants a stay of the ABC’s ruling.

Groneman agreed with an earlier finding that Dan Blomgren made false statements on forms used to renew his liquor license in May 2002 and illegally had interest in another store, Parkway Liquor, in 2001 and 2002. Groneman also upheld a finding that Jill Blomgren was in violation of several liquor regulations, but he found she didn’t make false statements to the ABC.

Dan Blomgren has said the state is trying to make an example of him and maintains he had a perfectly legal arrangement to manage Parkway Liquor. He said he expected today’s ruling.

“They’re all working on the same team so no surprise at all,” he said. “He’s just covering the back of his agent that found me guilty the first time.”

For more on this story, see the 6News reports at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Sunflower Broadband’s Channel 6 and pick up a copy of Wednesday’s Journal-World.