Total liens since 2000 are $951,461

At least about $300,000 paid

Como's closed this fall, will auction off equipment

The once popular Como's pizzeria and bar in downtown Ferndale has racked up nearly $1 million in state and federal tax liens since 2000.

The liens, reviewed by Crain's last week and Tuesday, provide additional insight into the problems the former hot spot faced at Woodward Avenue and Nine Mile Road. It ended its 66-year run as a Ferndale mainstay this fall, closing for good following a series of Oakland County Health Department violations.

Como's equipment, ranging from pizza ovens to the sign that has hung over the restaurant for years, is up for auction through Michigan Restaurant Liquidations & Auctions beginning Thursday. A second auction date is Jan. 11, as first reported by The Oakland County Times website last week.

Como's was issued $275,429 in state and federal liens for unpaid taxes last year alone, with the most recent one for $53,840 on Oct. 20, according to Oakland County records. There were $76,028 in liens in 2016, $3,565 in 2015 and $157,574 in 2014 (see box). None were issued in 2010, 2008, 2004, 2002, 2001 and 2000.

The liens are for state sales, withholding and unemployment taxes and federal corporate and unemployment taxes, according to the liens. All told, the individual liens range from $38.91 to $171,331.

Como's manager George Grego told Crain's on Thursday he was unaware of the $951,461 in nearly 40 state and federal liens. He said the business is owned by his mother and declined to provide contact information for her. Como's of Ferndale LLC is registered to Antoinette Grego, who is George Grego's mother.

It's not known precisely how much of the total amount has been paid since 2000 and how much, if any, is still owed, but state and federal lien discharge records suggest at least $299,344 has been paid. The last lien discharge was March 20. Seven of the 27 state and federal lien discharges do not list the amount of taxes owed that Como's rectified.

Fred Miller, spokesman for Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner, said Thursday that Como's was current on its real estate and personal property taxes.

"It does seem like those tax liens are a pattern of late payment of state unemployment and federal quarterly taxes," Miller said.