Dollar General shoppers in Eatonton had to shop elsewhere for a few days last week, but the store was back in business just in time for the weekend.
Eatonton Fire Chief Eugene Hubert, Eatonton Police Chief Howell Cardwell and Eatonton Code Enforcement officer Terrence Nelson closed the store around 10:30 Wednesday morning, Oct. 19, due to safety issues.
They said the store, located at 205 E. Sumter Street, had aisles so crowded with boxes that people could not walk around safely, there were no items on the shelves, the floors needed to be mopped, and the back storage room was so crowded with boxes that the back door to the building was inaccessible.
“So, if a car crashed through the front door or a fire breaks out in the front of the store, no one would be able to get out because the back door was blocked,” Hubert said Wednesday. “We hated to shut them down because it’s an Eatonton business, but they’ve been warned on two prior occasions, and it’s a bad safety issue, so something had to be done.”
Cardwell said a citation was issued and management was given several days to clean up the mess and meet requirements.
“The manager said they cannot find any help to work there,” the police chief said after he returned from closing the store. “So, we had to shut it down and gave them several days to get the aisles cleared and then we will go back and revisit the situation.”
The three men returned to the store shortly after 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21, and Hubert said the boxes had all been cleaned up, merchandise was stocked on the shelves, the floors had been mopped, and the back room was cleared.
“They have complied with every requirement to correct each violation,” Hubert noted. “So, it is all back in compliance and (opened at 5 p.m. Friday).”
The fire chief said they will continue to frequently check the store in order to ensure it remains a safe place to shop.