Mike Zachritz of Nichols Hills, who founded the company in 1976, could not be reached by phone or by his Facebook account.

The action was taken after nearly a year of court proceedings. The state is seeking withholding taxes, interest and penalties that amounted to more than $220,000 by March 30, court records show. District Judge Patricia G. Parrish ordered the company and Zachritz, who appears as Theodore M. Zachritz in court papers, to shutter the business June 6.

The business kept operating until officials closed it and locked the doors Wednesday morning, confirmed Paula Ross, communications director for the tax commission. She said the agency tries to keep delinquent business taxpayers from getting to the point of closure, and officials would continue to try to work out a payment plan with the company.

In the meantime, customers with unfinished pools were left in the lurch.

They won't be left high and dry for good, though, said Don Daye, sales manager, who was busy Wednesday answering angry phone calls and messages left on Internet discussion boards.

“No one is not going to get a pool finished,” Daye told The Oklahoman Wednesday evening.

Daye said Todd Zachritz, Mike Zachritz's son, bought out his father earlier this year after the elder Zachritz had a heart attack. That appears to shed light on remarks made by a process servicer on a document in court records.