Rat Problem Shuts Down Melton's App & Tap

After days of speculation on local blogs, it became clear Tuesday afternoon why the popular North Decatur Road restaurant closed abruptly last week.

Rats.

The restaurant's owner decided to shut its doors after a customer spotted a rat, according to a report Tuesday in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

From the story:

The problems began in July, when Melton’s employees discovered a hot dog bag that had been broken into, the restaurant owner said. Signs of a rodent invasion continued, despite efforts by Melton’s to secure its food and space against contamination.

Eventually, the shopping center owner brought in a pest specialist who traced the problem to openings where rodents were entering the building, and to the next door, where rats had gotten into pet food, Melton said.

It's unclear when or if the restaurant will reopen. Fixing the problem is likely to cost more than $100,000, and it's also dependent on how quickly the problem at Pet Supermarket is resolved.

Regardless, this is a terrible situation for the restaurant.