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Yesterday we received an e-mail from the City Department of Public Health announcing the closing of Bleeding Heart Bakery for some health code violations. Rather than go into hysterics, we called the bakery, asked to speak with owner Michelle Garcia and, when told she wasn't available, left our number and asked that she call us back regarding the inspection. After all, the prudent thing in these matters is to get both sides of the story. So we decided to sit on the story until we heard back from Garcia.
Today Garcia responded, in a big way. After multiple local blogs trumpeted the closing yesterday, Garcia sent out an statement on the closure (we've included the full statement following the jump). Suffice it to say, Garcia has already requested re-inspection and expects Bleeding Heart to be open by the end of the week.
Breaking News: Stop the Rumors! The truth Behind the Very Temporary Closing of Bleeding Heart Bakery
It was reported yesterday, 2/9/09, that the Chicago Health Department conducted a routine inspection of Bleeding Heart Bakery, resulting in its closing due to clogged sinks, no manager on duty and overflowing garbage in the alley. The blogs, internet and news has run am muck [sic] with the story and many speculations and slanderous comments have been made.
We are writing this statement to put a stop to the rumors and to state our side of the story, which not one reporting agency, besides the Booster, has bothered to ask.
On Sunday night, after service, our kitchen sink became clogged, once noticed in the morning, the sink was covered and not used. The hand sink near by was affected and was also closed. These are two of 6 sinks we have in the bakery, three of which are hand sinks. This in no way said that we were not either washing our hands (as there is a sink 15 feet away for that) or our dishes. We were not actually open and no food could have in anyway been affected. Drano (yes, I know...bad) had already been purchased and cleared the drain in minutes. Problem solved before 11am.
We get our trash serviced every Monday by Waste Management. They usually come around 10 am which they did yesterday. As our inspection was between 8 and 9, the garbage was not emptied yet. We pay for this service and they come faithfully every week.
There were two members of the staff present both of which had their sanitation license, they were not asked for it. However, the bakery was cited for not having a staff member with their sanitation license present. The owner, Michelle recently had surgery and had to run out for 1 hour to a post op appointment. This one hour just happened to be the hour the health department showed up. Interesting.
We have always prided ourselves on our cleanliness and have supported an open kitchen from the very beginning to prove we have nothing to hide.
We apologize for any problems this may cause people, we have already gone back to the city and will be re-inspected within 48 hours, which is routine procedure. We will be open for business this weekend or sooner, without a doubt, and we will be celebrating another wonderful Valentines Day.
Michelle & Vinny Garcia
The Bleeding Heart Bakery
1955 W Belmont Ave
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Y'know, when I read about this yesterday I thought "clogged sink? no manager? a little unemptied trash? That's all?" I mean - compared to other Health Department closures, which usually involve rats, roaches and other really vile things, don't those charges sound kinda petty? It just makes me think the citation was really for "Failure To Cross The Palm of the Inspector With Silver."
Yeah, but that interminable statement makes it seem as if they feel someone is targeting them specifically.
Weird.
I don't know about the bakery's ward, but in the 46th, that sort of thing is all too common.
I don't want to sound toooo conspiracy theorist, but it IS a huge week for treats and chocolates and whatnot, and BHB does a mighty fine job of putting together its Valentine's menu. A few of the comments I read re: what happened, at least the reactions, seemed AWFULLY mean-spirited and vicious so I can see how she might feel like she was being targeted.
Considering how I can think of a couple of nearby businesses that would have been thrilled to tears if BHB was closed for V-Day, I think you're right on the money. The timing of this is interesting, to say the least. :S
I think bringing up a recent surgery is unprofessional and an unnecessary appeal to sympathy no matter how you cut it. If she is being targeted, it is probably because she did something wrong.
I hope her business suffers. Why not just apologize to the "loyal customers who supported her bakery all these years" promise to have "amazing valentine's day treats" and offer some sort of cheeky promotion like "mud pies"?
Seriously. This was handled completely bananas.
Talking about a recent surgery is unprofessional?? Right,telling the truth is unprofessional.
Give me a break.
"I hope her business suffers" - Come on if you have a grudge with them take it up with them.
I am sure they will be opening soon. I hope.
I agree, bringing up the surgery was not necessary, and was unprofessional. I realize they are a small independent business and have a small staff, but arrangements need to be made to ensure you're in compliance at all times. If she was only to be gone for an hour, and she was the only staff member on site with a sanitation license, they should have been closed during the time she was gone.
What's confusing to me is why the other staff didn't speak up and state they apparently had this license too, instead of allowing the business to get cited/closed for it?
I agree, bringing up the surgery was not necessary, and was unprofessional. I realize they are a small independent business and have a small staff, and I certainly can sympathize that work/life balance is difficult in that situation... but this IS a business and arrangements need to be made to ensure you're in compliance at all times, no excuses. If she was only to be gone for an hour, and she really was the only staff member on site with a sanitation license (or any other required licenses), they should have been closed during the time she was gone.
What's confusing to me is why the other staff didn't speak up and state they apparently had this license too, instead of allowing the business to get cited/closed for it?
I agree (Gah! Weird) listing your laundry list of personal tragedies as reason for your failed inspection is just weird.
If they are being targeted, and I would not doubt that at all having been on the receiving end of an "inspection" by the city this does nothing for their case.
Personally, I've been there twice and both times the food I had was simply inedible, bland and over-priced. The staff were sniffy and wandered away mid-order to chat with friends. Sadly, it's the only place a vegan friend of mine will go.
I have to agree; I also find the mention of the surgery unprofessional. An explanation is always useful and I fully understand her mention of having a doctor's appointment because it shows that her being out of the bakery wasn't because she was sleeping in - but mentioning the surgery just made me sigh want to stop reading. I wanted to know the reasons the closure was not indicative of cleanliness of her place. I don't need excuses.
At the same time, simply saying "I had to leave for an hour" would had opened them up to even more criticism. Considering that the rumour mill was already up and running, she probably wanted to clarify some things as much as possible. Damned if they do, damned if they don't.
I've been there numerous times and the only problems I've had was with some of the self-entitled "princesses" that go there (which isn't exactly something they can control, lol) and that they lean towards the pricey side. The staff is always nice and the place is clean. I'm glad they were able to sort things out and were able to serve their customers on V-Day.
I'm not following why the drains were covered, drano was purchased, drains were cleared, and they got ticketed for it.
Based on Garcia's statement above, their inspection was between 8 and 9, and the clogged sinks were "solved before 11am". I am guessing that they were aware the sinks were clogged, but didn't have time to unclog the sinks (or even buy Drano) before the Health Department arrived. I hope the Health Department wasn't the first to notice the clogs!
Well maybe they'll take the sanitation issues more seriously next time, i.e. not waiting until after the health department arrives to correct them
I still am not getting what was so bad about their situation? How in the heck can they get fined for garbage when that was the day the garbage was going to get picked up?
Everyone always has a full bin on garbage pick up day.
(there was a scene in the movie Beauty Shop where the same thing happened to Queen Latifah...so I guess that's a common thing that happens).
I used to wait tables. Once, I was taking an order from a couple when I noticed two cockroaches skitter up the wall where they were sitting. I did my best to keep their attention on me. When I told the manager he scolded me by saying that there are no restaurants anywhere that are completely rodent and insect free. After working there, I can't even believe I eat in restaurants anymore because it was an upscale place, not some dive.