A favorite Tucson doughnut shop has been closed for what health inspectors called βgross unsanitary conditions.β
The Pima County Health Department closed Le Caveβs Bakery, 1219 S. Sixth Ave., Tuesday night after follow-up inspections found fetid rainwater seeping from the roof into the kitchen, a broken window with shattered glass above food-preparation areas, crumbling ceiling tiles throughout the building and other health and safety concerns that posed an βimminent health hazard.β
The unsanitary conditions inside the bakery caused county officials to force Le Caveβs to end all food preparation and service.
Le Caveβs manager Tiffany Molina said the bakery plans to have mandated repairs done and be able to reopen by Friday or Saturday. Le Caveβs owner, Rudy Molina Jr., also owns the building.
Tiffany Molina said recent rains took their toll on the aged structure.
βThis monsoon has pretty much caused most of this damage,β she said, adding that most of the needed repairs were βcosmeticβ in nature.
Health inspectorsβ reports and emails note extensive rain damage and evidence of long-term neglect.
βIt is scary to think of the dirt and bird droppings on the roof that are being washed into this baking area,β David Ludwig, program manager for the Pima County Health Department, wrote in an email to department heads.
The roof of the 80-year-old building was badly damaged, but the problems had been disguised inside with ceiling tiles.
When inspectors visited, however, the tiles had deteriorated to the point of crumbling, water leaks were evident throughout the building and food preparation areas were in βdeplorableβ condition.
βI hope you agree that the conditions warrant closure (to be honest I am a bit concerned that an establishment could exist in this condition and be inspected by this department regularly),β Ludwig wrote.
In an interview on Thursday, Ludwig said Le Caveβs was cooperating with the county to remedy issues at the bakery.
βWeβre working with the operator to get them back open,β he said.
Some of the work needing the most immediate attention included cleaning and sanitizing equipment, repainting water-damaged walls, cleaning work surfaces, repairing a walk-in refrigerator and fixing roof leaks.
In addition, peeling paint and plaster from the ceiling, light fixtures and ventilation ducts must be removed before reopening.
βWeβve got to protect the public health,β Ludwig said.
Despite the recent poor health inspections, Le Caveβs has in the past been rated good to excellent on health reports.
Inspections have noted several non-critical violations such as hand washing facilities not functioning, unclean food preparation surfaces and equipment.
Ludwig said the county would issue the bakery a provisional permit if it can be brought up to standard.
Le Caveβs could operate for as long as six months with a provisional permit. A full operating permit would be granted once longer-term issues such as the leaking roof are addressed.
A Tucson institution since 1935, Le Caveβs has been praised in recent years in national publications and by the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which named the bakery one of the countryβs top six vegan-friendly doughnut shops.
