In the Bay Area, shoppers are forced to seek other options for groceries following the closure of a Target store’s food section in San Jose due to a rat infestation.
This particular Target, situated near North Capitol Avenue and McKee Road, was shut down by health inspectors after discovering rodent droppings and opened food packages stored improperly in the warehouse.
The authorities mandated the closure of its grocery department on May 29 after serious violations were found, like “rodent feces and damaged food packaging on shelves within the storage area,” as noted in a Santa Clara County Environmental Health Report.
The report stressed that food establishments must be kept free of pests and cannot operate if food-contact surfaces, packaging, or utensils are contaminated due to pest infestations.
Officials from Santa Clara’s environmental health department indicated that the inspections resulted from public complaints.
As of Tuesday, the store remains closed. The county health report indicated that the grocery section will stay shut until the infestation is resolved and the store successfully passes another inspection.
“The facility hasn’t requested follow-up testing. If the tests confirm the problem is resolved, they could reopen immediately,” officials explained.
This incident follows another similar closure last week, where a Target store on Blossom Hill Road in San Jose also faced a rat issue. Records show it reopened subsequently after a follow-up inspection.
In response, Target released a statement emphasizing the health and safety of both guests and team members is their primary concern, prompting them to suspend grocery sales at the San Jose Capitol location temporarily for cleaning and disinfection.
They added, “We apologize for the inconvenience. If you require food, please visit our nearby store at 1750 Story Rd. We value the efforts of our team and partners to resolve this situation for our customers.”
Further inquiries had been directed to Target for more details about the closures.
