FERNDALE, Mich. – The popular Como's restaurant in Ferndale is in trouble again for health code violations.
Como's restaurant was shut down almost a year ago because of numerous violations cited by the Oakland County Health Department. The restaurant was closed for a month.
Local 4 has learned the Health Department abruptly shut down Como's at noon Wednesday, but the open sign is still lit and music is still playing.
Customers said they were caught unaware, but many people weren't surprised.
According to the Oakland County Times, Como's was officially informed Aug. 22 that its license was being revoked for health code violations.
Its appeal apparently ended at noon Wednesday as customers found the doors locked.
"I'm bummed," customer Marilynn Reinkensmeyer said. "It's our favorite."
"I'm not really surprised," former customer Dennis Stafford said.
"We come here a lot for birthday parties, for different family gatherings beacause we can fit a lot of people and the food has always been very, very good," Reinkensmeyer said.
Reports from the health inspector this year echo what was found a year ago: spoiled food, outdated food, raw beef stored above cooked beef, soiled knives and equipment, hanging fly strips and dirty floors and drains.
"I would've been OK with not ever knowing that," Reinkensmeyer said.
The news isn't sitting well with most customers.
"They're self-inflicted wounds," Stafford said.
"I think it's really wrong to have people coming in and think they're getting the proper food and the proper cleanliness and you're not getting it," Reinkensmeyer said. "It's not fair."
"It's not that they haven't been here a long time, and it's not that they don't have a lot of friends in the community, but, you know, you fall out of love after awhile," Stafford said. "They seem like they didn't much give a damn."
Local 4 called the restaurant, but it just rang with no answer.
We were told the woman who owns the restaurant, who is in her 80s and has owned it for 60 years, is good-hearted and well-meaning, but might have gotten stretched too thin and didn't have the proper management in place.
At this point, her neighbors said she's had plenty of offers, but she's unwilling to sell.
