The Stryker Market on St. Paul's West Side has been shut down following the owner's arrest for possible food and licensing violations.
According to a post on the St. Paul Police Department's Central District Facebook page, the district's FORCE unit along with the gang unit assisted state inspectors in charge of dairy and food licensing on Thursday afternoon at the market located at 605 Stryker Ave.
"The end result was the market closing for now," the post said. "The owner was arrested for several violations related to licensing and the upkeep of the store. At this time the market is closed and will be closed for an undetermined amount of time."
According to a police report, the 34-year-old owner, of Columbia Heights, was arrested a little after 1 p.m. at the market under suspicion of food adulteration, unsanitary conditions and not having a food handler license. The Star Tribune doesn't normally name a suspect until he or she is charged. Sgt. Paul Paulos, spokesman for the St. Paul police, referred questions about the incident to officials with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, whom the police were assisting.
A spokeswoman for the Agriculture Department said that there wasn't any additional information that could be shared because of the open investigation.
The police's Facebook post said residents may see "activity inside the store in the coming days." The owner and employees can be at the store, but aren't allowed to sell or remove products.
