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...

Famous Amos is a Black-founded brand that’s brought smiles to our faces since 1975. To survive this long, they’ve had to undergo many changes in the past nearly 50 years – mostly in terms of ownership. The visionary behind the cookie company, Wally Amos , found quick success after opening a shop in Los Angeles, but he was faced with financial and personal challenges leading him to walk away. Since their lowest point, the Famous Amos net worth has grown considerably. Despite the ups and downs, they remain one of America’s favorite cookies. The Wally Amos Days (Photo by Diana Walker/Getty Images) Before opening his flagship location, Amos made history as the first-ever Black talent manager, working out of William Morris Agency. When meeting with record labels and signees he would bring in fresh baked cookies after uncovering a love for baking while living with his aunt in New York. Word got out about the “famous Amos” cookies, leading his friends Marvin Gaye and Helen Reddy to gift...

The beautiful thing about fine art, specifically music, is that it speaks to the issues of the time. Often, those songs are made to address certain historic moments but end up being a case study of sorts for the future. It can be seen across genres in songs such as Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” or Walter Hawkin’s “Thank You Lord,” where in one of the verses he sings, “economies down, people can’t get enough pay.” Although some of these songs were produced well before the issues of today, they are perpetual concerns that society has found itself facing again and again. Those same messages are on par with the pain points many people feel and are going through. One of those pain points is the economy’s impact on the job industry, and it has now impacted what is known as the happiest place on Earth. According to The Wall Street Journal, Disney is part of the long list of employers recently announcing layoffs. The Florida-based company eliminated its entire Metaverse division. At its...