Food  |  News & Politics

Georgetown Cupcake Shut Down by DC Health Department

The company says an expired business license is behind the closure.

The health department has shut down Georgetown Cupcake. Photograph by Anna Spiegel.

Update: Friday, Georgetown Cupcake released the following statement: “We renewed our business license yesterday and DC Health completed their re-inspection a short while ago and we are now open again.

You won’t find any line today at Georgetown Cupcake. The sweet-tooth hotspot was shut down by DC’s health department on Wednesday, August 10. Georgetown Cupcakes said in statement the closure had more to do with paperwork than unsanitary conditions, however inspectors did find numerous health violations just weeks earlier.

“Our business license (which was posted on-site) had expired and caused the shut down,” the company said in a statement. “We have filed the paperwork to renew and hope to be open again as soon as possible. There were no other health code violations. We apologize for any inconvenience to our customers.”

Georgetown Cupcake’s business license is listed as “abandoned” as of November 30, 2021, according the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs’ database.

While the business license was the only violation found in an August 10 health inspection and what ultimately led to the closure, that inspection was a follow-up to a previous inspection that found 13 infractions big and small. On a routine visit on July 13, a health inspector found mice droppings under a shelving unit, mold on a Bailey’s Irish Cream container, and milk held at improper temperatures, among other violations. The expired business license was also noted at that time.

The most recent previous health inspection, in February 2021, found just a handful of issues which were quickly corrected, including hot water at the hand sink in the kitchen that was not hot enough, no visible thermometer in the fridge, and not having the name of a pest exterminator or pesticide contractor available.

This story has been updated with the latest health inspection reports. 

Jessica Sidman
Food Editor

Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.