Tyra Banks’s Ice Cream Business Faces Legal Battle in D.C.
A landlord in Washington, D.C., has filed a lawsuit against Tyra Banks, claiming the former supermodel and her business associate, Louis Martin, breached a lease agreement intended to turn his property into an ice cream flagship store.
The Lawsuit Details
Christopher Powell initiated legal proceedings in October, seeking $2.8 million in damages. He alleges that Banks and Martin ended their decade-long commercial lease prematurely, just months after its commencement. The conflict revolves around Banks’s ice cream venture, Smize & Dream, which aimed to merge frozen desserts with educational initiatives for youth.
The Vision and Its Collapse
According to Powell’s complaint, the collaboration began with optimism in March 2024. Banks had outlined a plan for Smize & Dream that went beyond a typical retail operation, intending to honor her mother, Carolyn London, and provide training for young people in Washington, D.C., in fields like science and hospitality.
Powell agreed to lease the property based on Banks’s commitment to the project and its social goals. They worked together to prepare for the shop’s opening, which was envisioned as the start of a global initiative offering premium ice cream and youth development opportunities through Banks’s nonprofit, School of SMiZE.
Unexpected Developments
The relationship deteriorated when Powell discovered Banks was promoting a Smize & Dream location in Sydney, Australia, instead of focusing on Washington. By June 2024, Banks and Martin had reportedly vacated the premises and ceased rent payments.
Powell claims that soon after abandoning the property, Banks hosted a Smize & Dream pop-up event nearby. This left Powell dealing with the financial and legal aftermath while Banks and Martin shifted their efforts elsewhere.
Attempts at Resolution
Initially, Powell sought a private resolution, but these efforts failed in September when he received a letter from Banks and Martin, which he describes as false and threatening. The letter allegedly contained inaccurate claims about the property and lease and threatened public exposure if legal action was pursued.
The lawsuit also notes that Banks and Martin have since opened Smize & Dream in Australia, leaving Powell with significant financial losses and no option but to litigate.
Legal Proceedings and Defense
Powell is seeking $2,831,331, plus additional costs, from Banks under the original lease terms. His attorney, Arziki Adamu, stated that Powell is focused on upholding a valid contract and remains open to resolving the issue in good faith.
Banks and Martin, through their attorney Steven Willner, have filed a motion to dismiss the case, citing jurisdictional issues. Judge Amy Berman Jackson has allowed Powell until December 16 to respond.
Future Implications
This legal challenge comes as Banks continues to diversify her career beyond modeling and television. The outcome of this case could impact her brand, which seeks to combine business with social impact.
The case will likely depend on the lease terms and whether Banks can argue jurisdictional issues. If the dismissal is not granted, the parties may face extensive legal proceedings.
For now, the intended flagship location remains empty, as Powell awaits his court date, and Banks prepares her defense from Australia.
