Church's Chicken In Sapulpa Re-Opens After Sales-Tax Closure

A month after the Oklahoma Tax Commission closed 15 Church's Chicken restaurants in the Tulsa and Oklahoma City areas, one of the restaurants has re-opened.

The company says it re-opened the Sapulpa restaurant on Tuesday, by working with the state-appointed receiver.

The Oklahoma Tax Commission said the franchise owner owed $434,000 in taxes so it closed the restaurants in early November.

11/3/2015: Related Story: 15 Church's Chickens Closed By Oklahoma Tax Commission

Police were looking for Lyndon Johnson, the owner, who they feared was missing and endangered. Authorities found him on November 22, 2015,  in Farmers Branch, Texas, according to Tulsa Police.

11/22/2015: Related Story: Oklahoma Church's Chicken Owner In Flap Over Taxes Is Found Safe In Texas

Joe Christina, Executive Vice President of Operations for Church’s Chicken, said his company is working with David Rhoades, the court-appointed receiver, to get the other six restaurants in the Tulsa market re-opened as soon as possible. 

According to a news release, Rhoades said he was impressed with the employees as well as Church’s Corporate for its efforts to communicate with displaced workers and to work aggressively to get the restaurants re-opened.

Christina said everyone is working towards getting back to normal as soon as possible.