A popular Toledo butcher shop that cuts its own meat has been closed by order of the Lucas County Health Department for violations relating to long-standing practices the business has used for decades.
Milo's Meat Market, at 4508 Lewis Ave., was cited for 65 violations during an inspection on Aug. 16, but most of the infractions were minor or non-critical. However, 12 of them were critical and forced the health department to suspend the business’ operating license until they are resolved.
Once they are resolved Milo’s can request a follow-up inspection and if it passes, the closure will be lifted, a health department spokesman said.
“Most of the critical issues revolved around their cooler. What they really need is a new walk-in cooler, but that wasn’t something they had wanted to do at that point in time. So we had to issue them a letter and suspend their license,” said Shannon Land, the health department spokesman.
“We’re more than happy to work with owners and see that they remain in business ... but we’re also in the business of keeping Lucas County residents safe,” she said.
According to the health inspectors report, the cooler has wooden shelves and floors that are no longer easily cleanable.
The business has been on Lewis since the 1930s and is owned by brothers Paul and Steve DeLand. They took over the store from their father, who bought it from Milo Reeve in 1970, and have kept traditional ways of doing things.
Paul DeLand said that the traditional way to keep the floors clean was to throw sawdust on them and let it soak up blood and fat from butchered meat. But those days are now gone, he added.
“The issue immediately is the walk-in cooler,” he said, adding that the market could be closed up to three weeks while the health issues are being resolved.
“When you’re talking refrigeration, you’re talking $110 an hour for labor. It’s not going to be cheap,” he said. “But I’m definitely going to get these complaints resolved.”
First Published August 23, 2019, 7:53 p.m.
