Bankruptcy, Scandal, and a Bitter Divorce at the Helm
The popular Turkey Leg Hut has closed its doors for good amid an ongoing process to pay back business debts. The Houston eatery, co-founded by estranged husband-and-wife duo Nakia Holmes and Lyndell Price, has been inundated with legal drama since the business partners parted ways last year.
The restaurant known for its stuffed turkey legs and lines that wrapped around The Third Ward’s 4800 block of Almeda Road has not welcomed customers since late September. Supporters were told “exciting renovations” were forthcoming after a food inspector filed 35 violations against the establishment.
However, its closure has since been revealed as part of a bankruptcy filing.
A judge signed off on an order allowing CNPH Properties, LLC, to terminate the business’ lease on Nov. 22. A reported $100,000 had gone unpaid, according to court records.
Holmes filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March amid reports that employees had gone unpaid and that an outstanding balance of $1.2 million to U.S. Foods for groceries was unresolved.
In total, the debt amounts to $4.7 million, which includes $2 million in unpaid state tax revenue. The new ruling, however, converted the filing to Chapter 7, which will allow the repossession of all business assets to be used to repay the landlord and creditors.
The Texas-based entrepreneur has been encumbered by financial strife after splitting from Price in November 2023.
Holmes subsequently filed for divorce after accusing the father of her children of being “cruel,” “abusive,” and an adulterer. In February of this year, Price received notice that he had been terminated as many speculated that he was to blame for Turkey Leg Hut’s financial instability.
Though his dealings with the restaurant were severed, Price has since moved on to running The Oyster Hut pop-ups, even setting up shop from a food truck in a parking lot across from the restaurant he ran with his ex. Reactions to the latest development include a person who tweeted, “Some divorces are uglier than others.”
Someone else placed the onus on Holmes as they wrote, “Leave [it] up to the ex wife too run that s—t into the ground smh.” A third user asked, “Did she try to burn the restaurant down for the insurance money? That would be funny if that came out and still ain’t work.”
A fire ravaged an off-site Turkey Leg Hut office in April. “We are relieved to report that, thanks to the swift and heroic efforts of the Houston Fire Department, the situation was quickly brought under control with no injuries and no impact on our restaurant’s operations,” read a statement from the eatery.
A cause for the fire has yet to be publicized. As it stands, Holmes is still on the hook for a 2018 civil lawsuit alleging she did not pay rent for the now-shuttered business, and the former couple’s divorce has still not been finalized.
