A popular Whole Foods Market in Cupertino was temporarily closed by Santa Clara County on Tuesday, leaving some local residents wondering what will become of their favorite grocery store.
The order comes weeks after the county health department found evidence of vermin infestation in the store’s hot food, deli and bakery sections.
The store, which is located along Stevens Creek Boulevard and is one of the region’s largest Whole Foods, had their operating permit suspended and was forced to shut down, according to the county.
Permits are suspended when “imminent threat to health and safety is observed and the violation(s) cannot be corrected. The facility must be closed until the violation is corrected and the permit is reinstated,” the health department stated.
It is unknown when the store will reopen, or when its permits will be restored.
Health inspectors first visited the store on March 25 and 26, and observed fresh rodent droppings in multiple areas of the deli section and live cockroaches in the bakery department. The infected areas were closed the following day to allow the store to clean the area, and then opened a few days later. However, those areas were closed again on April 7 after failing another inspection. The rest of the store remained open to the public.
In the statement Wednesday, Whole Foods confirmed the location is sealed off while staff, “complete necessary maintenance and repairs.”
“We will reopen once the repairs are completed thoroughly to support our high standards for food safety and service,” the company states. “We apologize to our customers for this inconvenience.”
On Wednesday afternoon, the entrance to the store was shut and its windows boarded up while a paper sign read “Temporarily Closed. Cleaning in Progress.”
Dozens of people could be seen driving into the parking lot and walking up to the entrance, only to read the sign and turn around.
One of those potential customers was Martin Krikorian, who hoped to purchase some fresh vegetables and fruit. The Sunnyvale resident will typically shop at Whole Foods a couple of times a month, when he wants to buy hard-to-find items, like a particular cut of meat or niche vegetable.
“It’s something that I think is important to have for the community,” the 69-year-old said, looking at the closed door. “So many stores are already cutting back on what they have available.”
Krikorian said he plans on coming back once the store opens, despite the recent health violations.
“Things like this happen,” he said. “There’s ways to deal with it. I’m sure that they will deal with it.”
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Cupertino Whole Food temporarily closes following rodent, cockroach infestation )
Also on site :
- ‘Bullet Train Explosion’ Review: A Reality-Based Runaway Train Movie That Stays on the Rails
- What will the IMF and World Bank do in the latest economic crisis?
- Republican Nancy Mace fields concerns over university funding during South Carolina town hall