MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Hickory Hill Family Dollar store has been forced to shut down due to a rodent infestation, the Shelby County Health Department confirms.
The store, at the corner of Mt. Moriah and Kirby, sat empty Wednesday while a handmade sign in the window read ‘store is closed down.’
The health department said it received a complaint about rodents and found evidence to support the claim. The closure is disappointing to frequent shoppers.
“That’s the closest store that we have around here,” said Arthur Stapleton, who said he’s now forced to walk further to shop.
“I have to walk to Kroger’s or whatever, and then the next closest one is Superlo, and that’s all the way back up on Winchester.”
The health department told us the Family Dollar was closed on Monday, but a notice from the health department on the door appears to contradict that. It’s dated May 24.
A health department spokesperson told WREG Wednesday evening that they were unable to check their records to clarify since it was after business hours but would check Thursday.
WREG was told it would have to file a public records request to see the health department’s full report, so it’s unclear how many rodents were in the store or of what variety.
“It couldn’t have been too many because – or it’s been, it was hid because you never saw them,” Stapleton said.
A Google search showed multiple stories about Family Dollars nationwide being shut down due to rodent problems.
Family Dollar’s corporate office didn’t return WREG’s requests for comment.
The health department said the store will be allowed to reopen “after it has eliminated the rodents.”
