12th Street Kroger closed
State health report mentions several ‘critical items’
A Louisiana Department of Health report issued Thursday morning stated the Kroger grocery store at 600 12th St. had several violations, including the presence of rodents.
Several “critical items” were listed, including food contact surfaces and utensils that “are not clean to sight and touch,” with rodent droppings mentioned. The report also listed the presence of rodents and flies at the store.
According to the report, repeat violations of critical items can result in permits being suspended or other enforcement.
The report also noted that plumbing is not maintained, a “non-critical item.”
The store has since posted a sign that read, “We are closing until further notice to complete routine maintenance. Sorry for the inconvenience.”
Sparkle Anderson, Kroger corporate affairs manager, said in an emailed statement that officials decided to temporarily close the store “to address facility concerns that will improve our customers’ shopping experience.”
“Safety is a core value at Kroger, and we appreciate our customers’ patience as we work to improve facility and maintenance items,” Anderson said. “We apologize for the inconvenience as we make repairs to improve our store.”
A man who showed up at the Kroger store on 12th Street Thursday afternoon to pick up a prescription for his girlfriend is upset to find the store closed. He asked to speak to a manager. A manager did come out and speak with him. He was told the pharmacy was closed. The sign in front of him reads: “Store temporarily closed. Customer prescriptions at this store are being rerouted to Kroger Store 394 located approximately 6 miles away at 2010 Country Club Road. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
A sign posted at an entrance to the Kroger grocery store at 600 12th St. in Lake Charles at 3 p.m. Thursday.