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Pinky Coleman’s former CFO has been indicted. Aaron Mattison was a co-owner and chief financial officer of Bar Vegan with the restaurateur and Slutty Vegan founder. Mattison claims he worked on Wall Street after graduating from college, in both traditional investment banking and private equity , according to Restaurant Informer. After business school, his focus pivoted to strategy and consulting. “Bar Vegan started from conversations with Pinky once I joined the executive team of Slutty Vegan,” he told the outlet. Per a press release, Bar Vegan was described as an Atlanta-based “go-to dining destination for exceptional plant-based cuisine” and cocktails. The venture was launched in 2021 and operated at Ponce City Market. After four years, it closed, Rough Draft Atlanta reports. Bar Vegan had been tied to allegations that it withheld tips and paid unfair wages, according to a 2022 class action lawsuit initially brought by employee Morgan Georgia, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution...
Kareem Edwards went from Wall Street to making history in entrepreneurship. Edwards, raised in Queens, NY, is a DePauw University graduate who earned a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics on a Posse Foundation scholarship, according to Essence. He worked on Wall Street and then at Lehman Brothers, even during the 2008 economic recession. However, his wife, whom he met while in college, had always advocated for him to pursue entrepreneurship, specifically opening a restaurant. Edwards, who had “a knack for bringing people together and getting things done,” also wanted to find his passion, and it wasn’t Wall Street. “I am crushing this industry, even though I’m not happy,” he told Essence. “If I go to business school, I understand even more about business and then maybe I go down entrepreneurship or find something that I truly like.” Edwards pivoted, attended the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, and graduated in 2015, the outlet noted. He didn’t immediately jump into...
Kimora Lee Simmons has built a multimillion-dollar empire spanning modeling, entrepreneurship, fashion design, authorship, and strategic business investments — but she hasn’t always been as calculated in her early business moves. One of Simmons’ earliest ventures was Baby Phat, launched in 1999 and initially focused on baby tees with bedazzled logos, according to People. The brand grew into a recognizable label in the early 2000s, with figure-hugging jeans and fur-hooded bombers added to its chic line-up. Kimora Lee Simmons’ Exit From Baby Phat Baby Phat ceased operations in 2010, largely following Simmons’ departure from the brand, Vogue reports . During an appearance on an episode of the “Aspire With Emma Grede ” podcast, Simmons reflected on how much she earned from the brand’s sale, which reportedly generated over $1 billion in revenue, per Vogue. “You live, and you learn. I probably made — I think we ended up selling … it for 100-and-something million dollars. I probably got...
The Goodtime Hotel, which occupies an entire block amid efforts to revitalize Washington Avenue in South Beach, Miami, is now at the center of a $150 million foreclosure lawsuit. Filed by CMMT, a Los Angeles-based affiliate of commercial real estate developer CIM Group, the lawsuit claims the hotel’s owner, Washington Squared Owner, defaulted on a $152 million loan used to finance the project, The Miami Herald reports . The outlets cites filings in Miami-Dade Circuit Court. New York-based hospitality developer Dreamscape Companies, led by CEO Eric Birnbaum, controls Washington Squared, per the outlet. What Is The Goodtime Hotel? When Goodtime opened in 2021, extensive media coverage identified Pharrell Williams and Miami nightlife entrepreneur David Grutman, known for LIV nightclub, as co-developers, according to The Miami Herald. Neither is named in the foreclosure lawsuit, and whether they had financial interest or other roles has not been mentioned. A representative said they...
“We got the trademark,” said well-known barbecuer Walter Johnson, also known as “Mr. Tendernism” and “Unc.” Johnson stole the hearts of many social media users with his passion for barbecue, which was on full display at Destination Smokehouse in Murrieta, CA. His presence and popular use of “Tendernism” led the establishment to go viral multiple times. @destinationmurrieta Leave your teeth at home ♬ original sound – destinationmurrieta Johnson also attracted the attention of food critic Keith Lee, who visited the restaurant in December 2025. “For me, the standout is absolutely the oxtail, but pass the oxtail the standout is Unc,” Lee said in a TikTok video . “Not only in my opinion is it extremely hard to get people engaged like that, to show your true personality, to be yourself no matter how fast things take off in this space. I don’t think he intended for it to go the way it’s going. I think he just wants to show his love for food and his love for what it is that he doing.”...
Five Black designers are redefining denim through a bold collaboration between Gap and Harlem’s Fashion Row (HFR) that pushes boundaries and celebrates individuality. Launched on Feb. 13, 2026, the 20-piece collection is available on Gap.com and in select Gap store locations, according to a news release. The collection features styles ranging from $98 to $148. The five designers — Daveed Baptiste of Daveed Baptiste, LaTouché of LaTouché, Igdaliah Pickering of IGDALYAH, Waina Chancy of Atelier Ndigo, and Nicole Benefield of Nicole Benefield Portfolio — each present a four-piece capsule. Every collection highlights the designer’s distinct approach to artistry, construction, and material innovation, the news release states. Together, they transform denim into wearable art that merges storytelling, heritage , craft, and individuality, it notes. “Denim has always been central to Gap’s place in culture,” Mark Breitbard, president and CEO of the Gap brand, said in a statement. “This...
Entrepreneur and multidisciplinary artist Temi Coker — whose clients have included Google , Netflix, and Adobe, according to his website — is using culturally resonant art and sustainable, innovative methods to redefine how art, heritage, and home design intersect. Known for creating designs that celebrate both his Nigerian roots and African American identity, Coker has transformed his artistic vision into the 18-piece Temi Coker Home Collection, available exclusively at Walmart. Centered on his family — his wife and two children — the collection embraces emerging technologies at a time when many view them as a threat, while emphasizing duality and honoring the multiple facets of Coker’s identity. Each piece creates space for others to see themselves reflected in the work. “Being able to bring in technology as a tool to solve a problem, I think that’s what it should be used for,” Coker told AFROTECH™. As a business owner and product founder, he sees technology not as a replacement...
Amazon.com Inc. , the e-commerce giant founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, has surpassed Walmart Inc. to become the world’s largest company by revenue, Bloomberg reports . Amazon’s growth stems from a shift in consumer spending from brick-and-mortar stores to online shopping, as well as the rapid expansion of its cloud-computing division, Amazon Web Services (AWS), the outlet notes. For the 12 months ending Dec. 31, 2025, Amazon reported sales of $717 billion, while Walmart reported $713.2 billion in sales for its fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2026. Walmart had held the top spot by revenue for more than 10 years. With most of their revenue coming from the United States, the two retail titans continue to compete closely for consumer dollars. Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer with 2.7 billion visits each month to its website and mobile apps globally, per Bloomberg. Walmart remains the world’s largest physical retailer, operating over 10,000 stores and shopping clubs worldwide,...
Heineken has joined a growing list of companies implementing layoffs to boost efficiency through AI-driven productivity gains. The world’s second-largest brewer, behind Anheuser-Busch InBev, announced plans to cut up to 7% of its workforce, eliminating up to 6,000 roles over the next two years, CNBC reports . The restructuring follows weak beer sales last year, with total volumes declining 2.4% in 2025, the outlet notes. Despite the drop in sales, adjusted operating profit rose 4.4%. Heineken Unveils 2025 Results As It Shifts To EverGreen 2030 Heineken released its full-year 2025 results on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, describing a “well-balanced performance in challenging market conditions.” Outgoing CEO Dolf van den Brink told CNBC the job cuts would free up capital to invest in growth and its premium brands, acknowledging that the cuts were “partly also due to AI, or let’s say digitization.” “That’s a very big part of our EverGreen 2030 strategy, with around 3,000 roles moving to...
Keith Lee, the content creator and food critic whose TikTok food reviews have driven national attention to local restaurants and small businesses, is preparing to take that influence offline with the launch of a new food festival set to debut this spring. The festival, Keith Lee’s Familee Day, will kick off on May 16 in New Orleans and is positioned as a multi-day experience centered on food, music, and family-friendly programming, according to a video Lee shared on TikTok. At its core, the event aims to create sustained visibility and economic opportunity for small and underrepresented restaurants that often struggle to break through traditional marketing channels, he said. A Festival More Than A Year In The Making In the video announcing Familee Day, Lee shared that the event has been in development for more than a year and was intentionally designed to go beyond a standard food festival model. “At first I was gonna say, ‘hey, we got a food festival coming out, and it’s food,...
Amazon will close its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go locations, converting some into Whole Foods Market stores. In a blog post published on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, the tech giant said the move reflects a shift in how Americans shop for groceries, with many turning to online delivery. “While we’ve seen encouraging signals in our Amazon-branded physical grocery stores, we haven’t yet created a truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model needed for large-scale expansion. After a careful evaluation of the business and how we can best serve customers, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh physical stores,” Amazon said in the post. “We’re grateful to our team members for their many contributions over the years and are working whenever possible to help them find roles elsewhere in Amazon, including across our vast operations network, as we make this transition,” the company added. According to The Los Angeles Times, 57 Amazon Fresh...
Saks Global has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Business Insider reports. The luxury retailer that owns Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Saks OFF 5TH owes millions to several companies, including Chanel ($136 million), Gucci’s parent Kering ($59 million), and Michael Kors’ parent Capri Holdings ($33 million), per the outlet. ABC News cited several factors that have contributed to the filing: an increase in online shopping, direct-to-consumer sales outside department stores, and a decrease in interest in high luxury price points. “Over the last five years, luxury prices have gone so high that there’s really a question of perceived value,” Marie Driscoll, a professor at The New School who studies luxury retail, told ABC News. “People are thinking, ‘This is not worth it.’” Additionally, Saks Global’s 2024 acquisition of Neiman Marcus created financial strain for the company, notes Business Insider. In a press release at the time, Richard Baker, executive...
Marc Metrick has stepped down as CEO of Saks Global, the company announced Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. The leadership change comes as the luxury retailer missed an interest payment on its debt Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, an amount that totaled more than $100 million, reports The Wall Street Journal. Now the company is reportedly weighing its options, including bankruptcy, according to The New York Times. Financial Struggles Mount At Saks Global Saks’ financial troubles stem largely from its $2.7 billion acquisition of Neiman Marcus Group, which also includes Bergdorf Goodman, in 2024. While the merger intended to create a luxury empire — delivering cost savings, stronger brand leverage, and improved customer experiences through shared loyalty programs — Saks has struggled to boost sales since the deal closed, per The Times. In October 2025, the retailer lowered its full-year guidance and reported that revenue for the quarter ended Aug. 2 fell to $1.6 billion — a more than 13% decrease from...
Barnes & Noble has said goodbye to two major locations as the nation’s largest retail bookstore continues to grow in other areas. On Jan. 18, 2026, the Barnes & Noble at Route 59 in Rockland Plaza, Nanuet, NY, will close after 33 years, The U.S. Sun reports . This leaves Rockland County with just one Barnes & Noble at the Palisades Center in West Nyack — a location whose future remains uncertain. An employee confirmed the closure on Dec. 29, 2025, telling the Rockland County Business Journal the store “couldn’t renew its lease.” Hundreds of miles south, another Barnes & Noble location is also closing. The store at The Shops at Pembroke Gardens in Pembroke Pines, FL, has been a local fixture for nearly two decades, but announced it will soon close. “It is with great sadness that we confirm the closure of this Barnes & Noble bookstore , as our lease has ended,” the store shared in a post on Instagram. “Our last day will be January 18, 2026. We have loved being a part of this...
The Prada Group finalized its $1.38 billion cash acquisition of Milan luxury fashion rival Versace on Dec. 2, 2025, after securing all regulatory approvals, The Associated Press (AP) reports . Prada — known for its minimalist aesthetic and use of unconventional materials — said the 47-year-old Versace label, famed for its maximalist aesthetic and sensual silhouettes, holds “significant untapped growth potential,” per AP. Donatella Versace, the brand’s artistic director and co-owner, celebrated the deal in an Instagram post that also honored her late brother, company founder Gianni Versace, on his birthday. “Today is your day and the day Versace joins the Prada family. I am thinking of the smile you would have had on your face,” Versace wrote. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Donatella Versace (@donatella_versace) First announced in April 2025, the highly anticipated deal is expected to help relaunch Versace’s fortunes. Capri Holdings, which also owns Michael Kors and...