A routine examination by the health department in Houston, Texas, has resulted in a setback for the Turkey Leg Hut. The examination found the Turkey Leg Hut on Almeda Road was in breach of multiple health violations. The inspection took place on the morning of Thursday, September 19, 2024, resulting in the closure of the restaurant.
According to an email the health department had sent out, they had issued the closure following the grave health code violations. The inspection found 35 health violations, some of which included situations that could immediately endanger public health.
The health report lists violations like container use, pest control, and ventilation issues, among others. The closure became effective on September 19, 2024, resulting in the restaurant immediately ceasing its activities.
Per the email, the Turkey Leg Hut restaurant will remain closed until the criteria for reopening have been met. Earlier in 2024, Turkey Leg Hut filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and now it has been hit with a closure.
What Happened to Turkey Leg Hut?
Popular Third Ward eatery Turkey Leg Hut closed its doors on Thursday, September 19, 2024, after it was found guilty of violating 34 health codes. According to the inspection report, the majority of the violations had to do with potentially hazardous food storage conditions.
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According to the Houston Health Department, food was being kept in unsuitable and unapproved storage spaces. Additionally, the inspectors’ report showed a malfunctioning on-site freezer led to some food being kept in a walk-in freezer in an unpermitted business across the street.
Following the news release, the 4830 Almeda Road restaurant posted on Instagram that it would be closed from Friday, September 20, 2024, until Sunday, September 22, 2024. In January 2024, U.S. Foods, a nationwide food distributor, sued Turkey Leg Hut for $1 million in unpaid products and services.
According to the lawsuit, the restaurant owed around $1.3 million and was in arrears for more than $85,000 worth of produce. The $85,000 arrears were products delivered between May and September 2023.
Subsequently, in March 2024, Turkey Leg Hut took to Instagram to reveal that it filed for bankruptcy.
The restaurant owed money to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts ($1.95 million), the Small Business Administration ($422,520), the Internal Revenue Service ($158,000), American Express ($57,500), the City of Houston ($21,001) for water bills, and other entities.
Does Turkey Leg Hut Have a Dress Code?
On Tuesday, July 3, 2021, Turkey Leg Hut took to its Instagram page to announce that it would enforce a new dress code policy. According to the Third Ward restaurant, these rules are required to guarantee that patrons and employees are dressed appropriately.
Addressing the restaurant’s patron, Nakia Price, one of the owners, said, “Unfortunately, due to the attire of some guests, we were forced to put this new policy in place as we remain committed to ensuring all guests are comfortable while visiting us.”
Nakia added, “We are not a club. We are a family-friendly restaurant and will continue to maintain our standards as we welcome everyone to the Turkey Leg Hut.”
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As per the policy, customers must avoid revealing, obscene, baggy clothing or items like wave caps, durags, house shoes, exposed underwear, or swimsuits. Online comments on this new policy were not entirely positive. While some felt the guidelines were unnecessary, others thought they were overly strict.
Are the Power Couple Behind Houston’s Popular Turkey Leg Hut Divorcing?
In 2023, Nakia Price issued a statement disclosing her intention to separate and divorce from her husband. The couple, known for creating the popular Houston restaurant Turkey Leg Hut, has left people wondering about the future of the franchise following its owners’ decision.
The restaurant gained public attention in 2021 following its rules and enforcement of dress codes for customers. In May 2023, Nakia, who now addresses herself as Nakia Holmes, came online to clarify the divorce story. On her Instagram account, Nakia announced that she had filed for divorce from her “gaslighting” husband, Lynn Price.
Posting an image captured by Hello Korean, Nakia wrote, “I have been quiet for so long, and I can no longer hold my silence. This war that I’ve been fighting behind closed doors, all the while pretending to the world that everything is perfect, is too much to bear.”
According to Nakia, despite the public perception, her marriage was an absolute nightmare because of Lynn’s abuse. She states that the abuse, manipulation, lies, deceit, gaslighting, and narcissism of Lynn had become unbearable.
She dismissed the idea that Lynn was a reputable businessman, stating that the public’s perception was inaccurate. According to Nakia, at home, Lynn was emotionally and mentally abusive, nasty, and devoid of all emotion.
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How Many Turkey Legs Does Turkey Leg Hut Sell a Day?
In 2015, Nakia and her spouse, Lynn Price, launched their turkey company. Over the years, Turkey Leg Hut became a popular restaurant in Houston. In February 2019, during an interview, Nakia said, “On our busiest days, we sell about 2,800 turkey legs a day.”
“On our non-busy days, like during the week, which is maybe a Tuesday or a Wednesday, we still sell about 2000 turkey legs,” she continued. “It’s surreal. Never did I imagine when we started out that that would be the outcome. That people literally lined up to taste what we’ve created.“
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