Question about the old Bama Bino Pizza

[DiamondDust]

Just curious -

The general view is that Bama Bino closed because of an imposed boycott from "The Machine" on the business because the owner's son was running for SGA President.

A little while ago, someone mentioned there was a case of back taxes facing the restaurant. Is there any validity to this?

I'm asking because, even though I was an Independent and on the SGA, I hear the argument "The Machine closed down Bama Bino" all the time. Just wanting to see what the facts are, especially if the tax issue is true.

 

[rizolltizide]

I have absolutely no knowledge about this but I think the machine rumor is bunk. Contrary to most of their beliefs the greeks aren't quite as important as they think they are. I would imagine Bama Bino went out of business because the pizza sucked although I did hear the tax issue existed.

 

[DJHall4prez]

I don't know about the tax issues...although I've heard that theory for quite a while now. If they were behind on their sales tax, then they were stupid, because you only have to subtract the precentage from your sales everyday and pay it every month. It's basically not your money to use...you're just collecting it for the government. If they were having trouble w/ other business taxes, property taxes, every other tax you have to pay, then it would only stand to reason that it wasn't a well run resturant.

I don't think a boycott, by itself, would kill their business but it would hurt it. Diamond, you know I run a resturant in town and greeks are a big part of our business. If all of them quit eating with us, it would hurt us but not to the point of closing down. However, if you're having trouble with taxes and a boycott comes along your revenue suffers and you can't pay your taxes.

BTW, were you in the store last week, I think you were but we've only met once, and my brain was pretty much wasted on, or around, the Strip during my career @ UA. I didn't want to come over and say hey and it be some random dude. holler at me next time you're in...I'm the goofy, unshaven one in the back directing all of my stoner employees around.

 

[jthomas666]

I've no doubt that the boycott took place, as it was confirmed to me at the time by a number of people who were in the Machine.

Now, as to how much of an impact the boycott had, that's another question. I know that my first few years on campus, EVERYBODY ordered from BamaBinos mainly because they were one of the few pizza places that delivered.

Four years later, there was more competition (Godfathers, Dominos, Pizza Hut), at least one of which had substantially better Pizza. At that point, BBs main selling point was price and the drinks in their plastic stadium cups.

 

[DiamondDust]

I don't know about the tax issues...although I've heard that theory for quite a while now. If they were behind on their sales tax, then they were stupid, because you only have to subtract the precentage from your sales everyday and pay it every month. It's basically not your money to use...you're just collecting it for the government. If they were having trouble w/ other business taxes, property taxes, every other tax you have to pay, then it would only stand to reason that it wasn't a well run resturant.

I don't think a boycott, by itself, would kill their business but it would hurt it. Diamond, you know I run a resturant in town and greeks are a big part of our business. If all of them quit eating with us, it would hurt us but not to the point of closing down. However, if you're having trouble with taxes and a boycott comes along your revenue suffers and you can't pay your taxes.

BTW, were you in the store last week, I think you were but we've only met once, and my brain was pretty much wasted on, or around, the Strip during my career @ UA. I didn't want to come over and say hey and it be some random dude. holler at me next time you're in...I'm the goofy, unshaven one in the back directing all of my stoner employees around.

Yeah, I seem to recall I was in the restaurant last week... I think Robert Johnson and another one of the DE's was with me as well if memory serves me right.

 

[mikeua69]

The Greeks make up a small portion of the student body, and an even smaller portion of the city of Tuscaloosa. I don't see how such a small group could cause something to go out of business.