The Peru Gazette

Peru Gazette File Photo

Don’t look for the Peru Dollar General store to reopen until at least Thursday. Responding to a Peru Gazette question, the company’s public relations office stated, “The store is currently closed due to an issue with the HVAC system. A part has been ordered and is slated to arrive on Wednesday.”  Town of Peru Code Enforcement Officer Robert Guynup ordered the store closed on Wednesday, December 1, after finding the store temperatures at 44 degrees. New York State building codes require that businesses like Dollar General maintain at least a 65-degree indoor temperature between September 15 and May 15. In addition, Guynup said, “I also cited the store for blocking an emergency exit and placing merchandise racks to too close proximity to electrical panels.  

Peru’s Dollar general has a code violation history. At a February 15th town board meeting, Bob Guynup stated that he had spoken to the store manager regarding three code violations:

• An obstructed emergency exit
• Stock room merchandise located close to an electrical panel
• Falling ceiling tiles

When Dollar General did not take corrective action, Guynup informed the manager that he could revoke the store’s occupancy certificate. Only then did the store address the issues. 

Guynup has also talked to managers about the continuing issue of not picking up trash and cigarette butts outside the store.  Customers also note that the store’s floors are often extremely dirty.