Town clarifies situation that ultimately shut down Sudbury parking lot coffee drive-thru
After a drive-thru in a Boston suburb recently closed after the town's health department limited what food it could sell, a town official is speaking out to clarify what happened.
Debby's Drive-Thru Coffee in Sudbury announced the business will shut down after being told by the town that it can no longer sell breakfast sandwiches.
In a social media post made on Aug. 19, the business announced its permanent closure as of Aug. 22.
Debby Johnston — owner of the small drive-thru hut that sits in the middle of a parking lot near Sudbury Farms on Route 20 — said on Facebook that Sudbury Health Director Vivian Zeng determined the production of breakfast sandwiches at the business "represents a public health hazard."
The town official said the business could only reopen serving coffee and baked goods. Johnston said after 12 years of making sandwiches, she had never had an incident or complaint by the previous health directors or customers.
"This stipulation will create a huge shortfall in my ability to cover my rent, other expenses, and provide me with a living wage," Johnston said. "Therefore, it is no longer viable for me to continue at the space lovingly known as Debby's Drive-Thru."
The owner graciously thanked its customers of the shop for 12 years of business, calling them "the best customers in the world."
She continued in a separate social media post on Aug. 20 , clearing confusion that she was not solely closing the shop because of the health department.
"My original plan was to retire and work toward a transition in the coming months, but that was always with the understanding that the shop could continue under the current business model," the post reads .
Sudbury Town Manager Andrew J. Sheehan addressed the health department's decision in a note published to the town website on Aug. 21.
"Please note that the health department did not revoke the food permit for Debby's Drive Thru," Sheehan said. "The business was not ordered to close nor to stop serving. Most of the past issues which had been identified were promptly addressed."
He continued by saying town staff is committed to helping Debby's Drive Thru find a solution that "fits the unique setup of the kiosk while protecting the health of patrons."
If residents wish to submit comments about the situation, they can email the department at health@sudbury.ma.us .
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