ASTORIA — State authorities seized a popular European grocery store in the neighborhood this week because the owners owe more than $200,000 in unpaid taxes, officials said.
The State Department of Taxation and Finance took control Wednesday of Euro Market, located on 31st Street near 30th Avenue. The grocery is known for its selection of European goods including chocolates, beer, meats, cheeses and packaged products from around the world.
The business has three open warrants for unpaid sales taxes totaling $218,014.80, debt it accrued during the months of February 2012, May 2015 and August 2015, according to the state.
"Seized" signs have appeared in the windows of the market since at least Wednesday and remained locked as of Friday morning. The shelves appeared stocked and neon signs advertising beer and other product were still lit up.
Calls to the store's phone number went unanswered, and the owner of the market could not immediately be reached.
Property is seized by the state "if all other attempts to collect your tax debt have failed, according to the Department of Taxation and Finance's website.
It may be returned to the owners if they are able to "reach a mutually agreeable solution," with the state regarding the debt. It's not clear if Euro Mart has reached such a deal, and the Department of Taxation and Finance said it does not comment publicly on such details.
Fans of the store took to social media to express their concerns about the seizure.
"Damn," one user wrote on a Reddit thread about it. "Beer, chocolate, smoked meats, olives, honey and cheese. This was the spot for all of that."