Editor’s note: The story was updated Thursday morning to include a statement from Walgreens.
A Walgreens in Boston is facing a hearing with the city’s health department after health inspectors found chewed chip bags and rodent droppings on Monday.
On Nov. 10, the city’s health department reported the Walgreens located at 1890 Columbus Ave. in Roxbury had multiple violations, including some involving mice and cockroaches.
These issues, including rodent droppings, were also seen by health inspectors on Oct. 29, Oct. 6, April 3 and March 26.
“We take these matters seriously and are committed to providing a safe, clean environment for our customers and team members,” a Walgreens spokesperson said in a statement. “We’ve acted immediately to address the concerns, enhancing our cleaning measures, increasing staffing to maintain standards, and working closely with the Boston Board of Health.”
In March, the store failed its health inspection. However, it passed inspection in April, despite noted problems of rodent droppings.
The store failed the health inspection again in October.
Now, the store is subject to a hearing.
Other issues noted by health inspectors in November include, frozen foods on the ground inside the cooler and freezer, cold areas without thermometers, “loose debris accumulation” under shelves and kick plates missing from shelves, “making it a possible hideout spot for rodents.”
In 2022, multiple Walgreens stores were the first drugstore chain locations forced to close in Boston.
The city discovered the problems at those Walgreens stores because of social media posts, Lisa Timberlake, a spokeswoman for the Inspectional Services Department, told the Commonwealth Beacon in 2022.
Once again, rodents were an issue.
“All businesses operating in Boston must and will adhere to the Massachusetts state sanitary code for public safety,” said Jessica Thomas, assistant commissioner of constituent services, in a prepared statement. “A blatant disregard for complying with the sanitary code will not be tolerated.”
Two of the stores were in Roxbury — one on Washington Street and one on Warren Street — and the third was in Mattapan on Morton Street.
Later that year, Walgreens closed the Washington Street location. It closed its Warren location in 2024. The Morton Street location is still open.
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