Breakers has complied with all but two health codes after the La Crosse County Health Department found nine violations during a preliminary inspection two weeks ago.
Jim Steinhoff, a sanitarian and laboratory supervisor with the health department, returned to Breakers last Friday for a follow-up inspection and found the West Salem sports bar and eatery to still be non-code compliant in two areas.
The remaining violations involve equipment for a hand washer at the bar and the surface of wooden shelves for storage, although Steinhoff said these are not considered major concerns.
“I’ll (conduct another inspection) within 14 days when I’m in the neighborhood,” Steinhoff said. “(Breakers) is essentially compliant in almost everything.”
Breakers, located at 153 S. Leonard St., was briefly shut down May 5-8 after it was discovered the business was operating without county-issued restaurant and tavern licenses, and it was issued a citation. The health department conducted a preliminary inspection May 8 and found nine health violations, although some were corrected instantly.
Breakers applied for and received a pre-packaged license, which allows them to serve alcohol and pre-packaged food, and it reopened that day.
Stewart Higdon, who owns Breakers with wife Susan and partner Jeff Huber, said the remaining two violations will be corrected as soon as possible. The hand washer requires special ordered equipment, and Higdon plans to put Plexiglas on the wooden shelves.
“The whole thing is not that we’re not trying to be compliant, it’s that we didn’t hire a big enough contractor that knew every small, little detail,” Higdon said. “We did it ourselves — that’s what we’re so proud of.”
Once Breakers passes all health codes, Steinhoff said the establishment will have routine inspections like any other food establishment in the county. The business will also be inspected once a planned kitchen is added.

