Five Below's flagship store in Center City has been ordered to cease operations after four consecutive failed inspections this year.
The Philadelphia health department shut down the 1529 Chestnut St. location Tuesday after discovering two dead mice in the basement and mouse droppings in the first-floor retail space. Inspectors also found 22 bags of chips and popcorn with holes gnawed into them, dumpsters with open lids and damaged, stained or missing tiles in the basement.
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Most of these infractions were repeat violations, recorded on reports from September, August and July. Dead mice also were found during 2023 inspections. The store will be closed for at least 48 hours pending a satisfactory re-inspection and payment of a $315 fee.
The discount chain was founded in Wayne in 2002 and is headquartered in Philadelphia. Five Below operates nearly 1,700 stores nationwide, including 10 other stores in the city, some of which have had similar, though not as severe, problems. Health inspectors found mouse feces at the Five Below at 701 Market St. in September and "visible evidence of rodent contaminated chip bags" at the Five Below at 7600 City Ave. in 2023.
The Chestnut Street store opened in 2015, and the two-story, 13,000-square-foot location is Five Below's largest store in the United States. Five Below is headquartered at 701 Market St.
PhillyVoice reached out to Five Below for comment and will update this story with any response.
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