By Esteban Fernandez
For Times West Virginian
Fairmont — While the Poky Dot restaurant celebrated 75 years in business in January, an employee pursued the business for wages owed her since October.
On Friday, the employee’s mother outlined the entire ordeal on social media. The incident is one of several establishing a pattern of behavior for nonpayment of costs, including one $47,000 lawsuit against the business in 2023.
Stacy Henderson, the plaintiff’s mother, requested her daughter’s identity be protected by use of a pseudonym. Jane Doe, Henderson’s daughter, declined to be interviewed. Henderson also declined to an interview, but made her post available for reference.
Henderson emailed on Doe’s behalf after Doe was not paid following several inquiries. Doe said the business’s owner, Alyssa Caputo, claimed she had mailed a check to Doe but the check never arrived. Doe filed a complaint with the West Virginia Labor Board against the Poky Dot on Oct. 23, 2025.
“They investigated, confirmed she hadn’t been paid and then Ms. Caputo blocked all communication with them,” Henderson wrote. “The Labor Board advised us to take it to Magistrate Court.”
The Times West Virginian obtained Doe’s complaint and the civil judgment order from Marion County Magistrate Court. In the complaint, Doe accused Caputo of not paying Doe wages from June 2025. Caputo owed Doe $225, as well as twice the amount of wages in damages and any court costs. The county magistrate sided with Doe on March 20, ordering Caputo to pay Doe the $225 as well as $142.47 in court costs plus interest.
Henderson wrote the Marion County sheriff tried to serve Caputo six times without success. Henderson had to hire a private process server to successfully serve Caputo. Henderson said Caputo ignored the complaint after Caputo failed to respond within the required 20 days. On March 28, Henderson posted that Doe’s case will be resolved with payment on Monday. On March 29, she added that Doe had received several media requests, as well as requests to lead a class action suit against the Poky Dot, since Doe’s story is not unique. In the comments, several people relayed their own similar experiences with the business.
“We’ve also learned that Alyssa has a reputation for doing this,” Henderson wrote. “Particularly to young workers who don’t know any better.”
On Monday, a phone number to the Poky Dot was disconnected and its Facebook page deleted. Google listed the business as temporarily closed. The Times West Virginian could not reach Caputo for comment.
Caputo has been pursued in court over writing worthless checks on pre-existing debts. Lamar Advertising of Bridgeport accused Caputo of writing a bad check for $1,500 in 2025. The City of Fairmont also pursued Caputo over a worthless check last year. Mountain State Waste also accused Caputo of submitting a worthless check for over $1,500 in 2022. Both 2025 cases were dismissed, court records show Caputo filed checks after a criminal judgment order was issued. The 2022 case has a notice of delinquency and abstract of judgment posted.
Superior Industrial Laundries pursued Caputo for over $10,000 in 2022, which ended in payment. Gordon Food Service also sought payment for $1,643. Pennsylvania Macaroni sought almost $47,600 from Caputo and her company, Great Shakes LLC, which does business as the Poky Dot.
The State of West Virginia has also pursued Caputo for failing to make required unemployment compensation payments for two quarters.
Henderson said she never imagined her daughter’s story would reach wide circulation the way it has. Henderson’s post received over 400 comments and has been shared 4,000 times.
She said her family has received backlash from it. Henderson noted this entire situation has been unfair to her daughter. On Tuesday, Henderson said her daughter finally received payment from Caputo.
“This has been a long, exhausting lesson for all of us,” Henderson wrote. “The Poky Dot is well known across the state. Now, you know what you’re supporting when you spend money there.”
Read more from Times West Virginian, here.
