Business

Downtown bookstore seized for failure to pay taxes

The Northeast Christian Bookstore on East Main Street was seized by New York State Wednesday for the owner’s failure to pay taxes, the News-Review has learned.

The downtown shop sold calendars, T-shirts and candles in addition to Christian literature.

The inventory was clearly visible inside the locked building Wednesday evening.

A letter now plastered on the front door states the state Department of Taxation and Finance has seized the building and all property inside.

The letter also states the building and property would be sold unless “this warrant is otherwise satisfied.”

Home Loan Investment Bank , which holds a small business loan taken on the property, began foreclosure proceedings against owners Goodness and Mercy Inc. in April of this year, according to online records.

The foreclosure proceedings allege the Goodness and Mercy proprietors, former Town Board member and Riverhead lawyer Harriet Gilliam and her sister, Mary Gilliam, defaulted on a $525,000 small business loan in 2010. The 67 East Main Street property as well as a home on Midway Drive in Riverhead was used as collateral to secure the loan.

The mortgage company alleged that no payment was made on the loan since before March 2010 and that the pair owed $543,968.20 as of Aug. 2010.

Harriet Gilliam is representing herself, her sister and the business during the proceedings, according to the document.

Neither Harriet nor Mary Gilliam could not immediately be reached for comment.

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