Skipper’s Inc., which operates 59 seafood restaurants in five Western states, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, mostly because of unpaid federal taxes.
Based in suburban Edmonds, Wash., Skipper’s filed for reorganization Tuesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, listing the Internal Revenue Service as its biggest creditor with $2 million in unpaid federal employment taxes and penalties out of $6.7 million in debt.
The company, which employs more than 500 people, most of them part-time, also plans to close five of its Skipper’s Seafood ‘n Chowder House restaurants, one each in Seattle, Tacoma, Ellensburg, Anchorage, Alaska, and Medford, Ore.
Bankruptcy protection would allow Skipper’s to break long-term leases on the five unprofitable stores and on six others that were closed earlier, said James L. Day, the company’s lawyer.
“The company has been carrying underperforming locations for quite some time and was unable to close them because of long-term lease commitments,” Day said.
Of the 54 remaining outlets, 32 are in Washington state.
Karen Adams on July 1st, 2008 at 1:32 am
I went to yur #5362 Skippers in Auburn Wa.
It was a mistake. The tables were wiped but
tacky to touch, The salad had degrading romaine
lettuce in it and the wait staff looked scruffy.
I don’t think I will be returning there any time soon and certainly will not recommend it to my friends who like sea food.