Gara’s Pizza is closed, the future of the Lopatcong Township pizzeria is uncertain .
The New Jersey Division of Taxation enforced a notice of seizure at the business on Nov. 19
“We’re in the process of figuring something out,” said owner Christopher Gara , “and we 100% intend on reopening.”
The pizzeria at 200 Strykers Road announced on its Facebook account Nov. 19 that it would temporarily close for an unspecified period due to “unforeseen circumstances.” The closure came on the same date the notice was issued to CAG Restaurant LLC.
As of Monday, the seizure notice remained posted on the restaurant’s front doors, but the owners said they have every intention of reopening.
The restaurant, which offered pizza, sandwiches and sides such as garlic knots, addressed the closure again in a Nov. 30 Facebook post.
“Over the past 5 years, many of you have felt the impact of inflation through rising food prices and the cost of living. Family businesses, like us, have felt the impact as well,” the post stated. “We have experienced some minor setbacks recently, and we are doing everything in our power to reopen as soon as possible. ”
In the post, the owners thanked their customer base for supporting the business over nearly two decades and insisted the setback was only temporary.
The restaurants owner told a reporter for lehighvalleylive.com that they believe they have complied with auditors and officials to the best of their ability. “We don’t think that we owe anywhere near as much as is proposed by the Division,” said owner Christopher Gara.
A representative from the Division of Taxation hadn’t responded to questions from a lehighvalleylive.com reporter as of Monday afternoon.
