Emporia's Papa Johns closes doors, leaving signs of protest behind

EMPORIA, Kan. (KSNT) - Emporia's Papa Johns has closed its doors with little explanation. Although, signs have been posted in the windows embracing a rejection of any mask mandate.

The restaurant is located at 2808 West Highway 50.

A sign in the front window says, "Closed, thank you to all our loyal customers, we love and appreciate you! God bless you!"

The closing has created a mystery, leaving many in the small town of Emporia to wonder why it suddenly shut its doors.

When KSNT contacted the Papa Johns corporate site they said the "...store is no longer operational. No memorandum indicated when they'll be back in business."

The pizza shop resisted wearing masks and employees did not appear to be required to wear them.

A handwritten sign on the front door says, "Covid free."

Emporia Police Department's Sgt. Lisa Sage confirmed with KSNT they had not been called to the pizza shop for any violations relating to mask wearing. Sage told KSNT she checked the records at the address and it was unremarkable.

Another sign reads, "It was never about a flu manufactured in China, It's about compliance, your freedoms, an election, and destroying our republic."

Another sign reads, "Standing up for what is right may cost you everything but with God I lose nothing."

One of the many signs posted in the windows quoted Revelations, it read, "and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of beast, or the number of his name." The sign asks, "Christians: How far away are we from this??"