After an inspection revealed a cockroach infestation, the Franklin Health Department temporarily shut down Lovers Lane Sushi, 6514 S. Lovers Lane Road. The restaurant reopened Jan. 24. (Photo: Google)
Cockroaches were recently seen crawling on the food at Lovers Lane Sushi and Seafood Buffet in Franklin.
However, the issue was dealt with immediately and the restaurant was only closed for a short time.
Franklin Health Department Director of Health and Human Services Courtney Day said Jingduan Jiang, the owner and operator of the restaurant, 6514 S. Lovers Lane Road, voluntarily agreed to close on Jan. 23 until the cockroaches were exterminated.
“For me, making money is not the most important thing," Jiang said. "I want to make sure my customers are safe and that’s why I voluntarily closed. I didn’t have to, but I wanted to. I just wanted to take care of the issue.â€
The Franklin Police Department was also notified to ensure compliance with the closure and protect the public’s health per health department policy.
“Upon re-inspection of the restaurant on the morning of Jan. 24, proper pest control management was obtained, and the business was allowed to reopen that day,†Day said.
Where did they come from?Jiang said she thinks the infestation came from some boxes dropped off by one of the restaurant's suppliers.
"We always pay attention to cleaning and we never found them before," she said.
Orkin was hired on for monthly checks since the business opened two years ago, Jiang said. According to health department documents, the pest control company was aware of the issue and performed a treatment early Jan. 22.
It was later that day seven cockroaches were seen on the food in the salad buffet area.
In the complaint filed with the health department, one couple said as they walked into the restaurant Jan. 22 that many other patrons were already leaving while complaining about the issue, so they left as well.
Orkin was called in to treat the restaurant again after it voluntarily closed and further cleaning was completed.
Jiang said all food â€" everything that was open â€" was thrown away.
"The situation is 100% under control and we have Orkin coming back more often to monitor it and now everybody is really watching," she said. "It was a really successful treatment."
What was foundThe health department received and investigated the complaint Jan. 23. Cockroaches in all stages of life â€" including dead roaches â€" were found. The largest concentrations were in the sushi buffet area, around the hibachi grill, and in the storage and dish room areas, according to the initial inspection report.
A follow-up was conducted Jan. 24 by Orkin and the health department. Bait was placed in high traffic areas, according to a follow-up report.
Orkin determined all areas needed better sanitation to avoid the issue in the future, according to health department inspection records. Additional notes in the health department report include the recommendation of daily diligent cleaning to prevent another infestation. The report also stated personal items should remain in designated storage areas.
The health department will continue to monitor the restaurant weekly to ensure compliance.
Contact Erik S. Hanley at (262) 875-9467 or erik.hanley@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ES_Hanley.
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