A Black-owned seafood business in Red Oak, Texas, recently announced that it has been temporarily shut down by the city after operating out of a residential garage for about three years. The business had slowly built a steady following before the sudden halt. While they did not provide any information on why they were ordered to close, it appears that a viral TikTok video shared by a customer around the same time they made the announcement may have played a role.
The customer, who goes by @vixsinndtx on TikTok, visited the popular spot to do a food review. The clip she posted showed long lines of people stretching along the curb and driveway, waiting to purchase the New Orleans-style seafood. Inside the garage, workers could be seen preparing large batches of crawfish, shrimp, and other food items.
Although the setup appeared informal, it was organized, with coolers, containers, and food trays arranged across tables. Still, many netizens who watched her video were not impressed by the business’s operation.
What Netizens Are Saying About the Texas Seafood Business
In the comments under the TikTok post, some people questioned whether running a food business from a residential area was appropriate. One person wrote, “Ain’t no way they are doing this from home.” Another added, “I’m sorry if I lived there I would hate this.” A third asked, “You’re ok with this? It’s a respect thing particularly with your neighbors,” while a fourth stated, “They have to be stupid to think they can do this [expletive] in a neighborhood.”
Other comments that surfaced included things like, “This is very unprofessional,” and “I’m calling the cops.”
Some defended the business, including one commenter who claimed to live nearby.“Im her neighbor. She gives us crawfish so i don’t mind the line in my yard,” they wrote. Someone else even hoped the business “will grow so they are able to purchase a food truck.”
The business also commented on the post, thanking the woman for supporting them. However, as the video gained over a hundred thousand views, they later shared a message on their own TikTok page stating that they had received an ordinance letter from the city and would be shutting down temporarily. It remains unclear whether the viral video prompted the city’s response or if the business had already been on the authorities’ radar.
In their message, they also apologized for the short notice and confirmed that refunds would be issued to customers who had already paid before receiving their orders. While their closure may be disappointing to many of their supporters, the business indicated that it hopes to reopen in the future and continue serving its customers.
