TAMPA, Florida — For over 60 years, Bo's Ice Cream has been a sweet spot staple in the Seminole Heights neighborhood of Tampa.
"It's extremely popular, and it's an old, old restaurant," said local resident Indrea Pope. "It's been around forever. No one would have ever thought what was going on, on the inside."
The establishment was temporarily closed Monday after a state health inspector reported finding 32 violations.
Among the issues, small flying insects in the food prep area along with live roaches behind the ice cream freezer, near the peanut butter tray, under the chocolate syrup, crawling across the single service cups, on a cutting board, behind the banana station and on the floor near the drive-thru. The inspector also documented 25 fresh rodent droppings under the dry storage shelves.
10 News spotted the emergency closure signs on the establishment's front window, and returned later Tuesday afternoon after the state cleared Bo's Ice Cream to reopen to the public.
"We had to take everything out of the store and paint and caulk and do all kinds of work," said owner Ken Bosanko. "And we got it back open!"
Bosanko says he and his family worked tirelessly, over 36 hours, to get the shop cleaned up and ready for re-inspection by the state.
"I don't like having roaches around. But in Florida this time of year, when you open the door, they run in," said Bosanko who said routine spraying actually made the problem worse as dying insects fled from behind the walls.
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"We cleaned it all and painted everything," said Bosanko.
10 News found the walk in cooler organized and the soft serve ice cream machines freshly cleaned. And while we did spot one remaining dead German cockroach from all the spraying, most other violations appeared to be corrected.
"We look clean, and we are sanitary," insisted Bosanko. "There are no roaches … and there are no rodents. Everything is clean."
