Small business news summaries — Page 2
Essential facts and source links for recent small business stories.
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Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery files for Chapter 11 after closure
Pennsylvania’s Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery filed for Chapter 11 on Sept. 11, 2026, to restructure debts about 10 months after its winery and tasting room closed, following the state Supreme Court’s rejection of the owner’s final appeal to keep operating. -
ABC7 says prepared-meat markups may reach 60%, frozen meat about 30% cheaper
ABC7 Los Angeles shared grocery tips: check store apps for loyalty deals; marinated, sliced or trimmed meat may carry markups up to 60%, while frozen meat may be about 30% cheaper than name brands or fresh options. Preparing larger cuts at home may avoid some markup. -
Jamba Juice filing records 130 franchise outlet exits in three years
Jamba Juice’s 2026 franchise disclosure says 130 outlets were terminated, not renewed, reacquired or ceased operations for other reasons over three years; 116 franchise agreements were terminated. The filing says the franchise could be riskier than systems with lower turnover. -
Brazil’s grounded Total Linhas Aéreas starts returning some leased Boeing planes
Grounded since ANAC suspended its certificate in early September, Brazil’s Total Linhas Aéreas has begun returning some leased Boeing planes to the manufacturer to reduce financial obligations, ch-aviation reports. It reportedly lost its Correios mail contract. -
AI-era job research spotlights human skills in high-school choices
U.S. entry-level jobs most exposed to AI were seven times more likely to require judgment, leadership, creativity or face-to-face interaction, a Forbes essay says. It urges high schools to teach these skills alongside technology as employers rank analytical thinking first. -
Bally's last German store faces possible closure amid insolvency
Bally may close and liquidate its only remaining German store, at Outletcity Metzingen, after its German business entered provisional insolvency administration on Sept. 16. The store was still open on Sept. 23, and no closure had been confirmed. -
Primark’s cautious U.S. expansion now spans 48 stores in 16 states
Primark’s latest U.S. store at Minnesota’s Mall of America takes it into a 16th state. With 48 stores nationwide, U.S. President Kevin Tulip says growth will remain cautious, focusing on brand awareness and strengthening existing markets. -
Lori Flowers lost about $600,000 to a pig-butchering scam and received a $225,000 IRS bill
Lori Flowers lost about $600,000 in a pig-butchering scam—$400,000 from retirement savings and $200,000 in personal loans—and received a $225,000 IRS tax bill. She filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy and pays $5,600 monthly toward her debt. -
Starbucks begins another closure round, targeting about 250 North American cafes
Starbucks is closing about 250 North American cafes this week to cut costs and improve store returns. It said the closures will incur about $300 million in restructuring charges and aims to transfer baristas from closing stores, with severance for those who leave. -
Clear decisions and accountability can make performance reviews actionable
Performance reviews can explain missed targets without stopping the same problems from recurring, Forbes argues. The article says candid discussions must lead to explicit decisions and accountability if teams are to act on what went wrong. -
A pet-sitting business’s value may hinge on how its owner’s $50,000 pay is counted
A pet-sitting business owner reports $300,000 in sales and $90,000 net income last year; a MarketWatch columnist estimates its value near $300,000. Her $50,000 salary could lift it toward $400,000 if excluded from net profit, though the columnist calls that aggressive. -
Michigan woman paid scammer over $270,000 after fake arrest threat
A 70-year-old Michigan woman lost over $270,000 to a scammer posing as a government agent who threatened arrest over fake drug and money-laundering charges. She cashed out her and her late husband's pensions; police arrested a 30-year-old Sacramento man. -
Razoo’s new owners roll out a menu centered on Louisiana flavors
Razoo’s Cajun Cafe has rolled out a new food menu across all its restaurants, with owner M Crowd Hospitality emphasizing scratch-made dishes, Cajun and Creole techniques and Louisiana flavors as it seeks to restore the 35-year-old brand after bankruptcy. -
Royal Caribbean agrees to buy half of Sandals and Beaches for about $3 billion
Royal Caribbean Group agreed to invest about $3 billion for a 50% stake in Sandals and Beaches Resorts, forming a joint venture with the Stewart family, which will retain the other half. The deal is expected to close in early 2027, subject to regulatory approvals. -
MindyKnows’ unlimited Washington University package costs $525 a year
MindyKnows offers college students local, parent-like help when families live far away, from prescription pickups and support during illness to company during ER visits. Its unlimited Washington University package costs $525 a year. -
Newly licensed 21-year-old says family policy quote would add $7,200
On Reddit, a newly licensed 21-year-old said adding her to her mother's policy was quoted at over $1,000 extra monthly. She put the increase at $7,200—about 50% more for a household already insuring three people—and said the insurer called it a six-month charge. -
Oskar Flodstrom’s $50 pill-bottle table experiment led to $253,000 in 90-day gross sales
Oskar Flodstrom, 23, turned a $50 Facebook Marketplace experiment into a $225 pill-bottle table that generated $150,000 in gross sales in two weeks. In his interview, he said hundreds of orders were stuck in customs, with about $80,000 of Shopify funds unavailable. -
Reza Satchu argues judgment is key for investors in the AI era
Harvard lecturer and entrepreneur Reza Satchu says investors should weigh leaders’ judgment as AI makes data and analysis easier to replicate. On a Motley Fool podcast, he said judgment can be developed through consequential decisions and calibrated risk. -
Hoplark files for Chapter 7 liquidation; 2025 revenue was about $630,000
Hoplark Inc., parent of the alcohol-free beverage brand, filed for Chapter 7 liquidation in Colorado on Aug. 28. Its filing reported 2025 revenue of about $630,000, down from $9.3 million in 2024, and suggested it may sue Brooklyn Brewery. -
Sugar Factory closes at least five U.S. restaurants, leaving Illinois and Michigan without locations
Sugar Factory has permanently closed at least five U.S. restaurants since early 2026, in Miami, Chicago, Rosemont, Jacksonville and Detroit. The closures leave Illinois and Michigan without a location; reasons varied by site, with some not publicly disclosed. -
FreshRealm bankruptcy disrupts Blue Apron and Marley Spoon orders
Blue Apron and Marley Spoon customers report missing ingredients, incomplete boxes and missed deliveries during the supplier transition. Misfits Market says inventory counts reported in FreshRealm’s bankruptcy were wrong, leaving it scrambling for ingredients. -
Gen Z’s full-time pay topped millennials’, but its employment-population ratio lagged, report finds
A Zety report comparing early-career cohorts found Gen Z had lower unemployment but a lower employment-population ratio than millennials, averaging 65.8% versus 67.9%. Full-time Gen Z workers’ median inflation-adjusted weekly earnings were $756, $82 higher than millennials’. -
Walmart plans seven new Canadian Supercentres for 2026–27
Walmart plans seven new Supercentres in Canada between 2026 and 2027, in Hamilton, Fort McMurray, Tsuut'ina Nation, Sherbrooke, Edmonton, Ottawa and Brampton. The openings are part of Walmart Canada's broader $6.5 billion investment in its stores and supply chain. -
Target’s optional employee apparel line comes at workers’ expense
Target introduced Collection186, an expanded red-themed apparel line for store employees, but it is optional and workers must pay if they buy it. Target says it offers more wardrobe choices; staff may instead wear other clothes that meet the dress code. -
Meritage’s Chapter 11 filing puts 34 West Tennessee Wendy’s at risk
Meritage Hospitality Group filed for Chapter 11 on Sept. 17, putting 34 West Tennessee Wendy’s—mostly around Memphis—at risk of permanent closure; some were already closed by late September. Wendy’s franchisor disputes Meritage’s right to keep operating.
