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Although Wally Amos didn’t set out to build a world-class brand, his creation has stood the test of time, leaving a lasting legacy. The beloved Famous Amos, with its signature bite-sized cookies inspired by Amos’ family recipe, launched in 1975 in a storefront on Los Angeles, CA’s Sunset Boulevard. When the store opened, his son, Shawn, was just seven years old, and he was one of its workers. “He worked in the back, and I worked in the front, and literally the two of us were tearing this place apart, building it, and opening it up. I learned the value of work, of just that all you have at the end of the day is work,” Shawn told AFROTECH™. “He wasn’t looking to create a worldwide brand or be an icon. He just wanted to open up a store selling cookies and make a living. And he really valued the work and took pride in the work.” The store’s launch was made possible through a $25,000 loan from notable entertainers such as Marvin Gaye and Helen Reddy. For years, Wally had been sharing his...
Nipsey Hussle’s mantra , “The marathon continues,” lives on through his older brother, Blacc Sam, who has opened a restaurant near the late rapper’s Marathon Clothing store in Los Angeles, CA . Blacc Sam — born Samiel Asghedom — is the permanent administrator of his brother’s estate. In an interview with CBS News Los Angeles, he said Marathon Burger, which had its grand opening on March 1, 2025, reflects Nipsey Hussle’s dedication to uplifting the community around him. “I think [the] Marathon brand, created by Hussle, was kind of like to inspire and to just motivate, and it just means to keep going,” he said. “It’s not a race, it’s a pace, do it on your own. …Anything that we can continue doing in that spirit is always a blessing.” Marathon Burger, located on Melrose Avenue, serves its famous Wagyu beef burgers and wings. The restaurant also offers vegan-friendly options such as a plant-based burger, a portobello mushroom burger, and a grilled vegetable salad. View this post on...
Several Philadelphia, PA , businesses have been passed down through generations, including Paul Beale’s Florist. According to our sister site, Travel Noire, the florist shop, founded by Paul and Altermese Beale in 1971, has spent nearly five decades cultivating a loyal customer base. For Paulette Beale Harris, the second-generation owner, carrying on the family’s legacy isn’t a responsibility she takes lightly. She emphasized that she doesn’t want her parents’ hard work and sacrifices to be “in vain.” In honor of Black History Month , Visit Philadelphia has launched a four-part video series titled “Legacy & Love.” The series highlights Black-owned businesses that span generations and the families behind them, as well as businesses launched to honor loved ones, Travel Noire highlighted. The videos, available on visitphilly.com , feature the stories of the Beale family, Lori Thomson and her mother, Vera Doyle from Vera Doyle Boutique, Yvonne Blake and her granddaughter Alana Rambera...
Quincy Jones will forever be etched in history. It was announced on Nov. 3, 2024, that the famed producer, born Quincy Delight Jones Jr. in Chicago, IL, passed away at the age of 91 in his Bel Air home in Los Angeles, CA. “Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing. And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him,” Jones’ family said in a statement, according to US Weekly. Fortune And Legacy He is survived by seven children and leaves behind a legacy that led to a reported $500 million fortune, as AFROTECH™ previously told you. Jones is a decorated figure within the music and entertainment industry, with accolades that include 28 Grammy awards and a number of legendary works, including composing “The Wiz” and serving as executive producer of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” which starred Will Smith. Reflecting on the loss,...
Many NFL players shine on the field, but not all translate that success into thriving businesses — Zaire Franklin is making it happen. The Indianapolis Colts linebacker has teamed up with his longtime mentor, Eric Taylor, to open a Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard franchise. Taylor was coaching youth football in Philadelphia, PA, when he met a 9-year-old Franklin, and their bond quickly developed. While he acknowledges that it may sound “crazy” for an adult to have much in common with a younger person, that’s exactly what it was like when he met Franklin. “I think the basis and foundation of our relationship comes with the love of our grandmothers,” Taylor shared in an interview with AFROTECH™ . “At the time, when Zaire was a young guy, his grandmother was instrumental in his life. She was at all the football games, she was very supportive.” Taylor had a similar bond with his own grandmother, so when Franklin lost both his mother and grandmother just months apart in 2013, their...
Brandon and Shaleeza Collins have received special recognition as IHOP franchisees. The couple are proud owners of an IHOP restaurant in North Baton Rouge, LA, through an opportunity made possible by Brandon’s parents, Ella and Larry Collins. The two had been the original owners before selling the location to Brandon and Shaleeza in 2023, a news release mentions. “There were no sit-down restaurants, and they wanted to make sure that that need was fulfilled and to create a legacy for their family,” Shaleeza told Black Enterprise. Brandon added, “This legacy wasn’t just for the kids; it was a legacy for the community. We’re in North Baton Rouge; there’s not much here. There’s no economic development that happens here. Our IHOP is still the only national franchise, sit-down restaurant in North Baton Rouge — to this day.” Since taking on the restaurant, Brandon and Shaleeza have provided mentorship and career pathways for both the surrounding community and their family members. The...
McDonald’s franchisee Herbert J. Thomas III is honoring his family’s legacy through his entrepreneurial endeavors. Herbert became an McDonald’s operator in 2020 and a year later had the chance to become and owner. Today, he maintains two restaurants in Ithaca, NY, and two in the Auburn area. “I’ve been up there for the last two and a half years. Lots of opportunity,” Herbert, 44, told AFROTECH™ in an interview. “The restaurants have not been able to live up to my expectations yet. However, there’s been a lot of of work, a lot of improvement, a lot of successes that we’ve had over the last couple of years.” Family Business Understanding Herbert’s path to Auburn requires looking at his early exposure to franchising , which began with his parents, Nellie and Herbert Sr., who own and operate several McDonald’s restaurants. The couple had been familiarized to this pathway from two family uncles who Herbert said were some of the first African Americans to purchase a McDonald’s. Nellie had...
Ventris C. Gibson is upholding the legacy of Harriet Tubman while stepping into a significant and historic role. Career Journey Born in Roseland, VA, but raised in Washington DC to parents with six children, Gibson showed great ambition early on. Upon graduating from high school, she enlisted in the Navy and worked as a traffic controller. However, she did look to pivot briefly into journalism due to her strong interest, but that did not pan out because school had a two-year waitlist. She remained with the Navy working in air traffic control, and upon completing her service she hoped to secure a role with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). “At that time, President Carter had imposed a freeze on hiring federally. Thus, I went to VA (Veterans Affairs) to see what my benefits were as a veteran, and they pretty much asked me if I wanted a job because I was an African-American, female, Vietnam-era veteran. I said, ‘Sure,’ while I was waiting for FAA to call,” Gibson told...
Carmelo Anthony is open to team ownership with his longtime friends LeBron James And Dwyane Wade. Anthony is already inching closer to obtaining ownership in the National Basketball League (NBL) after being named a Global Ambassador of its innovative Next Stars program, a news release mentions. With his appointment, it also means he can one day be part of an ownership team when the league expands. Speaking of his appointment, Anthony said, “The recent pipeline of talent that has come out of the NBL and into the NBA has been extremely impressive, and the Next Stars program is a prime example of the league’s commitment to nurturing talent and cultivating elite players. I look forward to working with the League to help play a role in shaping the future of basketball worldwide.” Anthony’s interest in team ownership, to no surprise, also includes the NBA. The 10-time All Star was drafted in 2003 to the Denver Nuggets as third overall draft pick, the NBA notes. He went on to spend...
Dawn Staley isn’t just a name in women’s basketball ; it’s a thunderclap. A three-time Olympic gold medalist as a player and current coach of the dominant South Carolina Gamecocks dynasty, Staley’s impact transcends wins and losses. But for the curious minds out there, a question arises: what is Dawn Staley’s net worth? Who Is Dawn Staley? (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) The story of Dawn Staley’s basketball career started as a University of Virginia college phenomenon. She broke records, setting a record for most steals in the NCAA and winning two National Player of the Year titles. Her greatest accomplishment was in the year 1991 when she won the NCAA Final Four as the Most Outstanding Player and guided her team to victory. Staley’s skills transferred to the professional arena with ease. Before moving on to play in the WNBA, she was a trailblazer in the early years of the American Basketball League (ABL). Although her abilities were evident, her influence was not limited....
Berry Gordy became a music force thanks to an investment from his family. Before Becoming A Record Executive Before becoming a famed record executive, he pursued various other ventures, partly driven by his father’s influence as an entrepreneur. The Telegraph reports that Gordy’s father owned several businesses, involving his family in several endeavors, including a plastering and carpentry business, a general store, and a printing shop. As for Gordy, he would explore becoming an amateur boxer, which prompted his exit from high school to turn professional. However, this venture reached a dead end, per The Telegraph. He then switched gears and served in the U.S. Army in Korea but was discharged. Gordy managed to finance a record store with his earnings, but it would shut down after two years. His next move was working at a nearby Ford Motor Co. plant, earning $85 per week, according to the Orlando Sentinel. During this time, he also nurtured his love for songwriting. “I wanted to...
In 1963, a Virginia native named Wendell Scott became the first African-American man to win a race at NASCAR’s highest level of competition. That feat was not repeated for another 58 years, when Bubba Wallace took home his first NASCAR Cup Series title at Talladega Superspeedway in 2021. Yet somehow, Scott’s legacy isn’t nearly as well known as that of other pioneering athletes like Jackie Robinson or Arthur Ashe. Even for those who grew up with NASCAR in the background of their childhood like Lion Forge Entertainment founder and filmmaker Dave Steward II, who vividly remembers the time in the 90s and early 2000s when the racing world saw a boom in popularity. (Photo by Jeff Curry/Getty Images) As Dave Steward II entered adulthood, his father, businessman David L. Steward, was developing a professional relationship with NASCAR, supporting and spearheading a number of diversity and inclusion initiatives. That relationship eventually led to the elder Steward’s company World Wide...
