For the second time in three weeks state inspectors shut down Sbarro in the Wellington Mall because of roaches. When we went recently to get answers we found the restaurant closed with construction crews working behind the scenes. Sbarro hasn't returned our calls to tell us if the pizzeria will return.
But it wasn't the only mall dealing with a roach problem at its food court.
At the Boynton Beach Mall food court two restaurants had to be shut down because of roaches.
Charley's Philly Steaks and nearby Sarku Japan.
Each with different reactions when approached by the Consumer Watchdog.
"Is someone here we could talk to about the roaches?" asked Consumer Watchdog Jenn Strathman, "There must be someone here who's in charge?" But the only employee available to talk to at Charley's responded, "He's not here, he went out."
But we soon found out Charley's manager was there so we asked him about the 20 live and 30 dead roaches state inspectors saw.
"Hi how are you?" asked Strathman. "I have to go," the manager responded as he walked out of Charley's and away from our camera crew.
Watchdog: "I'm just trying to be fair to you guys, what have you done to clean up the roaches?"
Manager: "Nothing, we throw away the refrigerator that's all."
Watchdog: "Was it something that was in the refrigerator?"
Manager: "No, no, they discover something."
Watchdog: "Ok, so what would you say to your customers?
Manager: "I have no comment, I have no comment."
We received a much different response to the same questions at Sarku Japan.
"Yeah, everything been done by the inspection, everything," said a manager named Dave.
Sarku was forced to close after the inspector found 9 live and 32 dead roaches.
"What would you say to your customers?" asked Strathman. "I say I'm sorry and I will do my best and I will have inspections, pest control come here more often and do a better job," Dave replied.
The cafe at the Norton Museum of Art at 1451 S. Olive Ave. in West Palm Beach was also forced to close when inspectors spotted at least 18 roaches and a mold like substance in the ice machine.
The museum is closed for several weeks as it updates its exhibits. Management tells us the cafe was power washed, treated for pests, re-inspected and ready to open the next day.
In a statement museum management told the Consumer Watchdog it took these steps to fix the problem.
1. On September 3 the Museum removed all appliances from kitchen then sprayed a de-greaser and power washed the kitchen floors and walls.
2. Abalon Pest Control was summoned on September 3 and treated the entire kitchen by spraying chemical treatment to all surfaces and spraying all cracks and crevices.
3. Abalon Pest Control returned the following morning and installed monitors to observe activity and applied a gel bait.
4. The inspector returned on Sept 4, did not note any activity, and gave approval for the cafe to re-open
"Abalon Pest Control returned Sept 9 to monitor activity and apply more treatment. No activity was observed."
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