The Milwaukee Health Department has enforced a temporary closure of Nehring's Sendik's on Downer, a grocery store known for its longevity on the city's East Side, due to significant rodent issues. Health officials acted yesterday after a series of inspections revealed escalating rodent activity in the store, located at 2643 N. Downer Ave., as reported by the Journal Sentinel.
Initially, during a routine visit on April 15, officials discovered the telltale signs of vermin, finding droppings in the store's basement storage area, which was fortunately separate from food products. Nevertheless, the situation deteriorated, and a reinspection on April 29 unveiled the spread of droppings into the dry food storage area, according to WISN. The health department had warned the grocery store's owners that a closure would be imminent if the situation worsened.
In what came as a decisive action by the health department, upon a follow-up inspection yesterday, inspectors found fresh mouse and rat droppings throughout the basement and first-floor areas of the store, including spaces like the kitchen and retail area. This discovery led to an immediate issuance of a Closure Order, as noted by Urban Milwaukee. For the public's safety, the establishment is mandated to clean and sanitize all the areas impacted by the infestation and seek the expertise of a licensed pest control provider to remediate the issue.
The longevity of Nehring's Sendik's on Downer, stretching back to 1929, reminds us of the integral role it plays in the local community. Having been acquired by John and Anne Nehring in 2013 from the Sendik family, the store operates independently from other Sendik's Food Markets in the Milwaukee area. Despite their storied history, the couple couldn't be reached to provide comments on this current issue. However, the Milwaukee Health Department reaffirmed its commitment to public health, reminding that all licensed food establishments are expected to adhere to basic sanitation standards, as mentioned in their statement obtained by the Journal Sentinel.
Until the store meets the required health and safety codes, it will remain closed after the night of the closure to allow for extensive sanitation and pest extermination efforts, as well as the coordination of a proper follow-up inspection by health officials.
