Although the regulars of the Cobble Hill Coffee Shop on Court Street don't appear fazed by the 'C' grade the diner received from the Department of Health, owners Nick and Frank Karoutsos are working hard to defend their cleanliness record—by posting an open letter to customers on their front window right next to the dreaded letter C.
Their letter reads, "Although we respectfully disagree with the letter grade which was issued by the Department of Health, we have addressed and corrected each of the issues raised, and are now awaiting the secondary inspection. We are confident that with recent adjustments made to our systems and procedures, we will not only meet, but exceed, the Department of Health requirements."
Cobble Hill Coffee Shop co-owner Nick Karoutsos, tells us, "It's a difficult thing and [the Department of Health] needs a little bit more flexibility. But, it was my decision to put the sign there, to tell the people that I've followed the Health Department, and I've fixed the things the way they asked me to."
On the morning the diner was inspected, Karoutsos's icebox was broken and awaiting repair, which contributed to the establishment's total of 28 sanitary violations. But business continues at the Cobble Hill Coffee Shop and Karoutsos is waiting for the DOH to do a re-inspection. "Business has not been affected the way I thought," he says. "But putting up the sign was my decision and any decision that anyone makes, you never know if it's going to be positive or negative. People come and see we're here, that we care about the place and we care about the customers. How the people are going to experience that is up to them. And I respect their decision."
