EL PASO, Texas -- A spokeswoman with El Paso's health department said inspectors found mice and mice droppings near food at a Big Lots store in Central El Paso.

A sign on the door of the store at 6375 Montana Avenue said the store is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. But KFOX cameras were rolling at around 1 p.m. Monday and found customer after customer getting turned away. The store was closed.

"I was going to get some plates,” said Becky Alvarado of Central El Paso. “I was actually going to get some plates for the kids end of the year school party."

Others who came by were very disappointed.

"It just sucks because I had to buy my friend a mattress and we needed it for today," said Tania Graves of San Antonio, Texas.

The store voluntarily closed Monday, while health officials inspected it after getting complaints of rodent problems, according to health department spokeswoman Tammy Fonce-Olivas.

"It's just alarming with the health department here,” said Alvarado.

Fonce-Olivas said health department inspectors found mice in traps, mice droppings near food, food particles in the aisles near the bottom of the racks and a back door that wasn’t tightly sealed. She said even though the opening in the door was small, it was just big enough for a mouse to get in.

"I'm glad I didn't touch anything,” said Graves, who visited the store earlier on Monday.

Fonce-Olivas said the store voluntarily shut down Monday to clean up and that the store is cooperating. The store will be able to reopen once they have thrown away all of the food where the mouse droppings were found and the health department inspects the area.

KFOX reporter Miri Marshall tried to call the Big Lots store at 6375 Montana, and the person who answered put her on hold and then hung up. The reporter called back, but after several rings, no one answered.