Hopjacks owner responds to criticism

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The owner of Hopjacks responded to negative comments after the company posted an offer on their Facebook page to bus patrons from Mobile to their location in Pensacola.

A bus picked customers up on Dauphin street Saturday evening. The company closed its Mobile pizzeria last week amid news of embezzlement and unpaid taxes.

“We fought for this store for months, literally months, and lost a very hard battle. But, we really want to show this is not about who's better or whose worse,” said Hopjacks owner Joe Abston.

A number of people posted comments on the Hopjacks Facebook page critcizing the move. Abston said because of the embezzlement, the company got behind on its taxes in both Alabama and Florida.

He said Florida was willing to work with the business in paying back the back taxes, but Alabama was not.  

  RELATED: Learning more about the closure of Hopjacks

Regardless, Abston says the shuttle is just the company's way of thanking it's loyal patrons.

"We never wanted it to be a negative thing. This is not because we don't like Mobile, or anything of that nature. This is about Hopjacks, the people who made Hopjacks what is is, and it's us thanking them,” Abston said.