GUILDERLAND — A restaurant that opened on Western Avenue in 2008 has been seized by the state for owing over $60,000 in sales tax.

“We opened in a bad economy, not knowing how bad it was going to get,” Brenda Evans, one of the restaurant’s owners, told The Enterprise this week.

Evans Public House, at 5180 Western Turnpike, was acquired by Brenda and her husband, Gary Evans, over two years ago. It was formerly a Greek restaurant called The Chariot.

The Evanses are originally from Brooklyn, but met in Stafford, N.Y., where Brenda’s parents ran a country inn. The couple learned the ropes from her parents, and used to have a business at Pinehaven Country Club.

After six years at Pinehaven, they decided to buy the Guilderland restaurant when the former owners retired.

The eatery, which officially opened in May of 2008, served pub food, had a full bar with 42 beers, and the Evanses were planning to build up a banquet business.

On Sept. 8, bright orange notices saying “seized” in capital letters were placed on the doors and windows of the restaurant by the state’s Department of Taxation and Finance.

The property was seized because of six outstanding sales-tax warrants, according to Brad Maioni, a spokesman for the tax department. The first is for sales tax from March to May 2008, for $23,507; the last is for June to August 2009, for slightly over $23,000.

Maioni said the Evanses have a period of time to pay the taxes before the property is auctioned off by the state; an auction date has not yet been set.

He would not comment on statistics, but, Maioni said, “We do this kind of thing regularly.” There is no set amount of taxes that is owed before the state seizes a property; the Department of Taxation and Finance looks at filings and makes decisions on a case- by-case basis, said Maioni.

If the Evanses pay the state the $60,000 they owe before a date is set for auction, the property will be released to them, Maioni said.

“We would love to be able to re-open, but I don’t think we we can,” Brenda Evans said. “We have had a great, loyal customer base, and they have been very supportive; we want to thank everybody. We’re going to miss them all.”