SENIOR ID TO PURCHASE ALCOHOL?
Dear Editors,
I am a seventy-one year old man and I have been doing business with Warehouse Wines and Spirits at 735 Broadway NYC for many years without a problem. On Friday, March 10, I took a bottle of wine to the checkout counter and I was refused service. They asked for a Drivers License for ID. I don’t have a Drivers License. I showed them my Reduced Fare MTA MetroCard Photo ID Pass but that wasn’t good enough. I showed them my Medicare Social Security card and that wasn’t good enough either. Because of a new system they claim they needed to scan a Drivers License which shows my birth age. I told them my birth date but that wasn’t good enough. I was refused service and I walked away without a bottle of wine for my Sunday dinner. There is an obvious difference between senior citizens and anyone in their twenties or thirties. I truly believe there is an issue with any business needing to scan a senior’s ID. There are many scams pointed directly at seniors. Businesses collecting ID information only puts seniors at greater risk for illegal activity.
—A 71 Year Old Man
Dear 71 Year Old Man,
It is so ridiculous, it is laughable, to need to ‘card’ someone like you who is way past the age limit for alcohol purchases, but I have no remedy for that. It is increasingly common to require a government-issued picture ID to do many things in our civil society, like registering to vote, buying a house, opening a bank account, or even adopting a pet from a shelter. However, the City of New York does provide a secure way to get a government-issued picture ID at no cost but for your time.
Besides having this helpful IDNYC card for ID checks, city institutions also has great offers for all card carriers, including free memberships to 40 cultural institutions and discounts on prescription drugs, movie tickets, sporting events, health and fitness clubs, NYC attractions, grocery stores and more.
You will also be able to use your IDNYC card as a library card or use your IDNYC card to open a bank account at certain financial institutions. Log in for an appointment, or get lots of preparatory information, at nyc.gov/site/idnyc/card/how-to-apply.page
or visit 109 East 16th Street, since walk-ins are now welcome on a limited basis. However, appointments are still highly recommended.
My IDNYC worked for me at the Warehouse store.
Good luck to you too,
—Brian J. Pape, a fellow senior
Same thing happened to me at Warehouse. I’m 76. At the time I didn’t have my ID with me, though I did show them my vaccination card with my birthday on it, along with my reduced fare MetroCard, with my picture. Not good enough for them. They were abrupt and unpleasant. Even when I do have ID on me, I won’t be going back there again.