The Ohio Department of Taxation effectively stopped sales at V/Gladieux Enterprises Inc. Friday for failure to pay sales taxes, adding to recent financial troubles for the catering and food service company.

A sign was posted by the state outside of Gladieux's offices at 3400 Executive Pkwy. in Toledo. It said the company "is prohibited from making retail sales." The posting is required to remain in place until the company pays its past-due tax bill, taxation department spokesman Gary Gudmundson said.

The space believed to be occupied by Gladieux in the office building on Executive Parkway was vacant Friday afternoon, and no sign was posted outside the door.

Chief Executive Tim Gladieux was present but unavailable to talk to a reporter at a second Gladieux office at 928 Berdan Ave. in Toledo. No state sign was posted outside that facility. Messages left for Mr. Gladieux at his office were not returned Friday, and his attorney, William Lindsley, declined comment.

Mr. Gudmundson declined to discuss how much Gladieux owes in taxes or how long they had not been paid. The state may post a notice outside a company, Mr. Gudmundson said, if it misses sales tax payments for at least two consecutive months, or three times in a 12-month period.

"We would love for them to resolve their tax issues rather than resort to this sort of measure," he said. "We're not in business to shut people down. We're in business to administer the tax laws."

Gladieux is the exclusive concessions vendor for Huntington Center in downtown Toledo. Executives from SMG, the firm that operates the arena, could not be reached for comment.

Joe Skaff, owner of Premier Catering in Perrysburg, said his company two months ago took over the catering services Gladieux had for weddings, parties, meetings, and many other off-premises events. The deal also made Premier the exclusive caterer for Gladieux Meadows in south Toledo, which is not owned by Gladieux Enterprises, Mr. Skaff said.

"We've honored all their contracts," said Mr. Skaff, who said phone calls to Gladieux Catering have been redirected to Premier.

Gladieux's tax troubles are the latest in a series of problems faced by the company during the last year.

V/Gladieux Enterprises and Mr. Gladieux were named in November in a nearly $600,000 judgment against them by New England lender Textron Financial Corp. The Providence, R.I., firm sought repayment in Monroe County Circuit Court of money owed for Toledo Beach West Inc., a former yacht sales business in Monroe County, Michigan.

Gladieux Enterprises' longtime concessions contract with the Toledo Mud Hens was terminated in October, prior to its expiration, and the firm lost concessions deals with Purdue University and the University of Michigan athletic department.

Filings in Lucas County Common Pleas Court show Huntington National Bank and at least two other lenders have sued to collect debts from Gladieux Enterprises since last year.

Contact Sheena Harrison at: sharrison@theblade.com or 419-724-6103.

First Published May 28, 2011, 4:15 a.m.