American Coney Island says Lafayette Coney rat closure is hurting business
After the restaurant was temporarily closed due to rats, Grace Keros, the owner of American Coney Island in Detroit, blasted Lafayette, a nearby Coney Island. Keros stated that Lafayette’s problems are having an effect on her eatery.
-
-
American Coney Island said business is being hurt after evidence of rats closed its neighbor, Lafayette Coney Island.
-
Lafayette closed voluntarily Friday after evidence of rats was found during an inspection.
-
American Coney owner Grace Keros discussed her restaurant’s cleaning protocols and efforts to prevent rodents.
-
-
American Coney Island said business is being hurt after evidence of rats closed its neighbor, Lafayette Coney Island.
-
Lafayette closed voluntarily Friday after evidence of rats was found during an inspection.
-
American Coney owner Grace Keros discussed her restaurant’s cleaning protocols and efforts to prevent rodents.
DETROIT (FOX 2):According to American Coney Island, business is being impacted by a rat infestation that forced the temporary closure of its neighbor in Downtown Detroit.
Following an examination that revealed indications of rats within the cherished Coney joint, Lafayette voluntarily closed on Friday.
“There was an abundance of rat pellets,” Detroit Chief Public Health Officer Denise Fair Razo stated. “It was way too many to be open.”
Lafayette and American share a building, and the question of who has the best Coney dogs has been debated for a long time. However, American claimed that its business was being harmed after evidence of rats was discovered at Lafayatte.
Given that the two restaurants are located in the same area, social media commenters have voiced worries regarding American. The company goes “above and beyond to ensure a clean restaurant and not having issues like their next-door neighbor,” according to a news statement from American.
Grace Keros, owner of American Coney, expressed her displeasure with the closure, claiming that the issues at the other restaurant shouldn’t affect her establishment because she maintains it tidy and organized.
“I’m annoyed, I’m upset,” Keros told reporters on Monday morning. “We are not the same as what they do. Not in the way we conduct ourselves, our behavior, or the services we provide.”
It has been almost five years since American Coney’s last inspection that identified priority issues. Inspections of both American and Lafayette are planned for every 150 days.
According to American Coney Island in Downtown Detroit, Lafayette Coney’s rat infestation is negatively impacting business. There are worries that Americans may also be afflicted by rodents because the eateries are located on the same wall. Since 2020, American has passed every inspection, according to city documents.
The backstory
The restaurant has closed its doors due to rodents for the second time.
Lafayette Coney Island was closed in 2022.
After that, health inspectors discovered droppings inside, and rat films from within were shared on social media.
This is not the first time a famous coney island in Detroit has had to temporarily close to deal with an infestation.
According to Lafayette employees, the issue began when rats from a nearby garden entered the building’s two vacant rooms and subsequently entered through cracks in the basement wall.
Next steps:
Lafayette has been directed to fix the basement’s holes and devise a strategy to stop similar problems in the future. Early this week, city inspectors are anticipated to visit the restaurant to assess its progress.
The Source: The Detroit Health Department, an American Coney Island press release, and American owner Grace Keros provided information for this report.