Tuesday, April 14, 2015

All good things do come to an end.

It looks like another local eating tradition has gone by the way side:



Fanin Mart is apparently closed as it did not open for business Friday, Sunday, or yesterday.  This picture was taken during lunchtime yesterday.  There was no sign on the door.  It was well-known for the best fried chicken in the area, casseroles, drinks served in mason jars, bread pudding to die for, and even menus written on small paper bags. This 2013 Eat Jackson post summed up the experience perfectly.  It started out as a truck stop on Hwy 471 years ago when that was the main highway on that side of Rankin County.  The restaurant moved to Lakeland Drive after the building developed costly plumbing problems.   The owner was indicted for tax evasion last year. The defense is now engaged in discovery as it prepares for trial.   Hopefully someone can reopen the restaurant.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

It was so well known I'd never heard of it until today.

Anonymous said...

The metro is awash in an oversupply of restaurants. Population growth is nil and there just isn't enough disposable cash to support them all.

Anonymous said...

" The owner was indicted for tax evasion last year. "

Is that the restaurant owner or the landlord, or are they the same person?

Kingfish said...

Owner/operator of the restaurant, not the landlord. Sorry for confusion.

Anonymous said...

Dear restaurant owner/operators,

Even if it means you have to stiff the bread man, ALWAYS pay the tax man. The bread man's claim is limited to the assets of the business. The tax man will try to take everything you own, even personal possessions.

Anonymous said...

NNNOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

How sad for Steve and his family. Here's hoping things work out for them.

Anonymous said...

9:13. Glad you came out from under your rock.

Anonymous said...

Breadman here.....that's why I collect as I go, no charge accounts.

No money, no bread for you.

Anonymous said...

12:25 A "bread nazi" to match NYC's "soup nazi" :-)

Two Meats and Three Vegetables said...

Landlords can't be indicted or sanctioned for a lessor's non payment of taxes.

This place was living on borrowed time and never should have been allowed to re-open after the door was padlocked. Sunday-dinner chicken and gravy places that get too big for their britches always turn out to be Peter-Principle examples. Especially when the owner keeps multiple sets of books. This is simply another one.

Anonymous said...

Well, I can't really say I'm going to miss it since it's been YEARS since I ate at the old location and didn't even know they had moved. Then again, I still miss when they were downtown in the basement of Capitol Towers with a second location even more years ago. From what I understand about how the MS Dept. of Revenue works, they don't act like the IRS and try to work with you so you can keep a business going and pay back over time. No, they come in, shut you down, sell the assets for whatever they can get towards what is owed.

pittpanther said...

"Best fried chicken in the area?"

Two Sisters "not pleased."

Anonymous said...

Popeyes is better than Two Sisters. They have spices besides salt and pepper in the breading...

Screech and Spices said...

Popeyes is your best bet if you like to wait sixteen minutes for white meat, not spicey, and enjoy a portion of hair in the breading. Also if you like to get home and find out the contents of the bag don't remotely resemble your order.

Anonymous said...

1:32 "Landlords can't be indicted or sanctioned for a lessor's non payment of taxes."

In fact, a Landlord and a lessor are one and the same. What you meant was "Landlords can't be indicted or sanctioned for a LESSEE'S non payment of taxes."

Anonymous said...

From the CL: http://ux.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/04/14/fannin-mart-restaurant-future/25785453/

Two Meats And Three Vegetables said...

1:32 here. Thank you, 7:13, for the correction. Yes, clearly I meant to say that a landlord can't be sanctioned for a lessee's illegal activities. Can't understand why the question was axed or why the KFish bothered to 'clarify'. Also can't understand why 10:38 feels sorry for the operator since the operator is the one who decided to fly under the radar, or so he thought.

Anonymous said...

The doors were never padlocked. If you go look at the door now there is still no pad lock on it. The restaurant probably closed so the state couldn't come up with more false claims on them. It's amazing how the state can do whatever they want in situations like this.

Anonymous said...

Great food, great loss for area. Wish the best for the Page family..

Chicken Wing Field Tester said...

Right! The State just made it all up. They paid their due taxes and The State was out to get them so they made it all up.

'Padlocked' is a euphemism, dunce, since decades ago, The State did actually put chains and padlocks on the doors of businesses that didn't pay their taxes.

Anonymous said...

@4:17 the page family may not be perfect but one thing they are not are crooks!! Specifically Steve!! There is no way he has done what the state "claims" he did. If he would of withheld that much money from the state he would be living large and wouldn't of been frying chicken. I'm sure the state may of found something small that he did mess up on and they decided to blow it way out of proportion. The state is out trying to make a point to business operators out there and the only way they can do it is try and get someone who has been in business for a long time and with a good reputation. One thing I do know is that after following this case and doing research on it all I can say is good riddance to the state tax commission in Mississippi and for all you business owners out there you better make sure you double check your books everyday because Mississippi has proven they can and will make your life miserable if they want to. Better yet just move your business to a state where they will treat you fairly.

Will That Be Cash? said...

8:57 (aka family member); If you have done so damned much research and following this case, as you claim, how about enlightening us all. State your facts. What exactly was done to 'treat them unfairly'? What did the Tax Commission claim he did that your research reveals is a lie?

Yes, it's a good idea to 'check your books every day'. It's even more important that you keep only one set.

Now, shat or get off the pot and quit pore-mouthing.

Anonymous said...

I was audited by the state tax commission a few years ago. I didn't charge my customers sales tax for certain items that the legislature specific exempt from sales taxes. During the audit, I told the agent this happened and showed the the specific rule and law.

I was told that I was wrong, owed the state $$$ (including a penalty) and if I disagreed, I would have to go to the commission for a hearing.


Screw Mississippi and their corrupt governments.

Because it wasn't worth my time, I paid up and moved out.

/I empathize with the Pages as the price for being found guilty surely will include a year or more in the slammer. Good to see that the government is screwing him over. Because that's the only way to teach us lessons: force a man to shut down his business and force a dozen people onto unemployment.

Kingfish said...

He has a good lawyer and will get his day in court. He is going to get to present his side of the case.

I seriously doubt he is a crook. Based on covering these types of stories, what usually happens is someone gets in over his head or into a real jam. There were judgments registered to his company at the courthouse but all but one or two were paid. In other words, he made an effort to pay them off. A crook, and regular readers can name a few, usually don't do that. They just stiff them and open a new LLC. He was probably just desperate and trying to stay afloat. Too bad because that place served some really good food for years. It didn't hurt for customers.

However, going from operating out of family land and building to leasing one probably put a hurt on the bottom line as well.

Nice Try, But... said...

KF: You're brilliant alibi regarding tough times and paying off debts has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that the business did NOT pay the state taxes that were due. That's a violation of law, not simply a symptom of a tough week at the cash register.

Consider This said...

I asked that 8:57, rather than popping off at the mouth repetitively, offer evidence of his/her claim. My post was rejected.

Anybody who comes on here claiming bullshit, accusing the State of misapplication of the law or bullying a business ought to be required, or at least encouraged, to offer some sort of proof of their claim.

It's real easy for family members to post denials and claims that the owner is above reproach. Chris Epps was above reproach too.

Anonymous said...

@1:05

Practice a little Disney

You've gotta "Let it Go".

3 minutes after a plea deal or verdict from the trial is announced, you'll have your answers.

mkay?



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