The store closed shop and has been left vacant for the past year, but now banners on the building’s front windows indicate 24/7 is once again open for business after a long hiatus.

But matters of delinquent taxes and the question of whether or not the store is operating under a valid liquor license still remain.

Owners of 24/7 have not returned multiple interview requests from The State News.

Between an unexplained closure, the store’s reopening, varying hours of operation and an unsure past, students and officials have been left confused.

The company in charge of the business, East Lansing Convenience Store Inc., was fined $100 on April 27 by the East Lansing Police Department because of a failure to submit its alcohol license for escrow after closure, Michigan Liquor Control Commission Spokesperson Andrea Miller said.

“When a business is closed, (business owners) turn in alcohol licenses — they can’t use the license to buy alcohol or sell it,” Miller said.

Miller said records indicate the matter was resolved by the two parties, and the fine was paid for June 17.

East Lansing’s Planning and Community Development Director Tim Dempsey said the city became aware of the reopening last week and said the business has not applied for any additional licensing.

“The liquor license issue is one that we are going to be looking into,” Dempsey said. “Our initial assumption is that they’re operating under the existing liquor license.”

According to Ingham County tax records, the property also has a total of $6,588.19 in delinquent taxes incurred from summer 2008 to winter 2010, and no tax records prior. Ingham County Treasurer Eric Schertzing confirmed the tax situation and said there might have been a change in the amount of land the property sits on in the quarter prior to summer 2008, resulting in the lack of records.

Dempsey said the establishment currently does not have delinquent city taxes.

Dietetics junior Lauren Walker remembers visiting 24/7 as a freshman. After that, she didn’t really go anymore — and then the business closed. The business’s reopening could benefit her now because she lives close by.

“I never really went there because I was never around that location,” she said. “It’s nice that it’s opening because I’ll have another option.”

Psychology and human biology senior Emily Head said it was good to see the store back in business but said the initial closure of 24/7 was strange to her. The vacant building had been vandalized and unkept, she said.

“I looked in the windows sometimes, and everything was full — it was weird,” Head said.

This is a developing story. Continue to check The State News for updates.