Smith’s on East William Street in Carson City on April 21, 2023.
Photo by Scott Neuffer.
This story was updated at 9:30 a.m. Sunday
The Carson City Smith's re-opened Sunday morning.
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This story was updated at 5:15 p.m. Friday
After closing its doors for a health code issue involving mice, the Smith’s grocery store at 599 East William Street in Carson City is letting customers pick up their medications from the pharmacy.
A sign posted at the entrance on Friday afternoon claimed the store would be closed for maintenance till Sunday morning.
According to Carson City Health and Human Services Deputy Director Jeanne Freeman, on Friday, mice feces were observed in areas of the store “where pre-packaged foods are located.” CCHHS received a complaint on Friday about someone seeing a mouse at the store.
“An environmental health inspector from CCHHS reported to the Smith’s store location and observed mice droppings in areas of the store where pre-packaged foods are located; no mice were observed,” reads an email from Freeman.
Freeman said corrective actions were outlined by the inspector and discussed with the store manager.
“This is an ongoing investigation, and CCHHS does not know the full extent of the matter,” reads the email. “Nevada Administrative Code 446.602 outlines expectations for the control of pests for food establishments which includes grocery establishments.”
Freeman said CCHHS is unable to set a date for reopening “as it depends on the establishment satisfactorily meeting the identified corrective actions and being reinspected by CCHHS environmental health staff.”
“CCHHS is diligently working with Smith’s to have a resolution to the issue so the store can safely reopen to the public,” said Freeman. “Anyone concerned with the safety of their food should contact the store for additional information.”
On Friday, an employee who did not provide a name said the pharmacy was open, but Smith’s workers were not supposed to talk to the media.
A handful of Ecolab trucks were parked on the east side of the entrance, although Ecolab personnel would not talk to the Appeal.
A masked employee at the central entrance let customers picking up medications enter.
“Everyone is standing around,” resident Shawna Alvarado, 35, said after picking up her son’s medication.
Alvarado has shopped at the East William Street Smith’s for six years.
“I’ve never seen it shut down in the middle of the day before,” she said.
The media office for Smith’s parent company, Kroger, did not return requests for comment.
According to Ecolab’s website, the company specializes in “water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services.”
The number for the Smith’s store is (775) 885-9922.