Polly's Pies is the kind of Southern California institution that gets described in terms of generations rather than years. Founded in 1968 by brothers Eddie and Donald Sheldrake — who had gotten their start opening the first free-standing KFC in California before branching out with their own brand — the family-owned chain has been serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and its signature fresh-baked pies to communities across LA, Orange, and Riverside Counties for 58 years. The Montebello location on West Beverly Boulevard has been part of that run since January 2009. On March 26, 2026, the LA County Department of Public Health ordered it closed for vermin infestation.
What the Inspection Found
The closure was issued under California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1 — the state's requirement that all food facilities be kept free of vermin — according to records from the LA County Department of Public Health. The inspection produced two major violations: an 11-point vermin finding and a 4-point food contact surfaces finding, meaning surfaces that come into direct contact with food were not properly cleaned and sanitized. The remaining citations were lower-level Good Retail Practice findings covering non-food contact surfaces, equipment and utensil storage, ventilation and lighting, thermometer accuracy, and floors, walls, and ceilings.
The combination of a vermin major and a food contact surfaces major is notable. Vermin alone triggers the closure; unsanitized food contact surfaces add a direct food contamination risk on top of the pest finding. For a 151+-seat, high-risk facility — the maximum occupancy and risk category in the county's classification system — with a kitchen running three meal periods, seven days a week, those two findings together represent a meaningful lapse in the facility's day-to-day compliance.
As KTLA has reported, vermin-related closures across LA County have been running at elevated numbers throughout early 2026. Polly's Montebello is among the higher-profile names on that list.
A Chain That Has Made a Point of Its Values
The closure is a notable headline for a brand that has invested significantly in its reputation for quality and community. Polly's Pies has been family-owned and operated since its founding, with Donald Sheldrake still on the board and his great-niece Jacklyn Mitosinka serving as Director of Brand, per the Orange County Business Journal. The company has run annual "Pie for the People" campaigns, donating thousands of pies to active military and veterans. CEO Eric Stenta, who joined in 2019 with a background that includes opening 40+ California Pizza Kitchen restaurants, has spoken publicly about the importance of clean, modern, safe dining environments as part of the chain's renovation program. Co-founder Eddie Sheldrake, who played college basketball under John Wooden at UCLA before going into the restaurant business, passed away in May 2025 at age 98.
The Montebello location is one of 13 Polly's across Southern California and has been open for 17 years at 1322 W. Beverly Boulevard. To reopen, the location must address the vermin infestation with professional pest control, clean and sanitize all food contact surfaces, and pass a reinspection from the LA County Department of Public Health. Current status can be checked at the department's website under facility ID FA0068857. The Montebello location can be reached at (323) 722-6324.
