Harrisburg Dollar General Closes Temporarily Due to Rodent Infestation

Dollar General store #3797 at 881 Eisenhower Boulevard in Harrisburg's Swatara Township was ordered closed March 21 after Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture inspectors found evidence of a rodent infestation throughout the store, including in food and candy areas. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services cited two category violations: gross facility and equipment sanitation, and rodent infestation.

The closure sign posted on the front door warned that "this facility was found to have violations, which constitute an immediate danger to public health or safety, as established in 7 Pa. Code Chapter 48." The sign further stated the facility "has been ordered to remain closed until the facility has been re-inspected and deemed safe to reopen by the Department."

The inspection report broke down five distinct violations. Inspectors documented "too many to count small, dark, pellet-like materials consistent with possible rodent excreta" concentrated in the pet food section, with droppings also found near packaged snacks, canned and boxed foods, and a candy display near the front counter. Separately, a sign posted on the front door confirmed the store was closed by order due to a rodent infestation, along with a violation of facility and equipment sanitation.

Beyond the droppings, the report flagged non-food contact surfaces that had not been cleaned, disorganized and unsanitary storage areas, and a finding that the person in charge lacked proper food safety knowledge. Perhaps most telling for the longer-term problem: the main entrance had a gap that "does not protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other animals," according to the inspection report, pointing to a structural vulnerability that allowed the infestation to take hold in the first place.

The store, located at 881B Eisenhower Boulevard in Harrisburg, was closed by order of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services. Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Shannon Powers confirmed the inspection was triggered by a complaint, not a routine visit. The store had passed its previous inspection on Nov. 25, 2025, meaning the conditions deteriorated significantly in roughly four months.

When reporters visited after the closure, the front entrance was open but blocked by shopping carts. The store appeared to be undergoing cleaning. A store manager declined to comment. An employee said they were unsure when the location would reopen. Dollar General had not responded to media requests for comment as of publication.

For associates still showing up to the site, the situation underscores a pattern familiar to Dollar General workers: a structurally compromised building, a store manager cited for lacking food safety knowledge, and no clear reopening timeline from corporate. The store cannot reopen until it passes a reinspection by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and the department has warned that failure to remain closed will result in further legal action.