Celebrities have big advantages when starting businesses, like their wealth and loyal fans ready to buy their products. Still, many celebrity businesses fail. Today, we’re looking at some of the biggest flops, including the Kardashian family’s failed credit card and Steven Spielberg’s restaurant.
Preserve
Blake Lively launched a lifestyle brand called Preserve in 2015, but it closed less than a year after its online store went live. Lively said she ended the business because it “was not making a difference in people’s lives,” but in reality, it just wasn’t profitable.
J Hotels
Jay-Z planned to launch a luxury hotel chain called J Hotels, with the first location set to open in 2009. However, due to financial mismanagement, the business failed before any hotels could open, leading Jay-Z to sue his business partners.
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Fenty Clothing
Rihanna teamed up with the LVMH group to create Fenty, aiming to establish a luxury fashion house on par with Gucci and Prada. While the clothing line didn’t gain much traction, Rihanna successfully shifted focus to cosmetics, finding major success with Fenty Beauty.
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Dessert Beauty
After succeeding as an actress and singer, Jessica Simpson ventured into business by launching Dessert Beauty in 2004. The brand’s edible cosmetics struggled to gain customers, and its overly sexualized ad campaigns sparked backlash. Dessert Beauty eventually shut down after Simpson faced personal lawsuits.
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Smokey Robinson Foods
R&B singer Smokey Robinson launched Smokey Robinson Foods, selling creole-inspired frozen meals like seafood gumbo and pot roast. Robinson planned to use the profits for charitable causes, but the business collapsed after Johnny “Jambalaya” Percle sued for copyright infringement.
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Flav’s Fried Chicken
Flava Flav has enjoyed a largely successful career since Public Enemy disbanded, but he’s had a few business failures along the way. The most notable was Flav’s Fried Chicken, a fast food chain that shut down in less than four months due to severe mismanagement.
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Lohan Beach House
Lindsay Lohan launched Lohan Beach House, an exclusive nightclub on the Greek island of Mykonos, in 2019. The venue was also featured in the MTV reality show *Lindsay Lohan’s Beach Club*, but Lohan has since distanced herself from the business.
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McMahon’s Prime Steakhouse
Many athletes face challenges finding a new path after their sports careers end, and Jim McMahon is no exception. The former quarterback pursued a career as a restaurateur, but both of his restaurants closed within a few years of opening.
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Kim Basinger’s town
In 1989, Kim Basinger bought Braselton, a small town in Georgia, intending to transform it into a tourist destination. However, the costly and complicated renovations led to the failure of the venture, leaving Basinger nearly bankrupt within three years.
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Pastamania
Hulk Hogan opened Pastamania, a budget restaurant inspired by his Italian heritage, in 1995. However, it closed less than six months later. Hogan relied on his WWE fame to attract families, believing kids would urge their parents to dine there, but this strategy ultimately backfired.
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Kardashian Kard
Kardashian Kard was a prepaid credit card launched by Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney Kardashian, aimed at children and teens. However, it faced immediate accusations of predatory lending practices and was quietly discontinued less than a month after its launch.
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SHe Steakhouse
Eva Longoria’s SHe Steakhouse was designed to appeal to women, featuring small portion sizes, a catwalk, and menus with mirrors. While the restaurant saw some success, it was closed by the Southern Nevada Health District after an inspection revealed 21 health code violations.
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The Players Club
After retiring from professional baseball in the mid-2000s, Lenny Dykstra launched *The Players Club*, a magazine targeted at professional athletes. However, the publication soon faced scandal due to accusations of financial impropriety, leading Dykstra to shut it down in early 2009.
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Qream
Pharrell Williams showcased his fashion credentials during his time as men’s creative director at Louis Vuitton, but his venture into the liquor industry was less successful. He launched Qream in 2011, targeting women, but the brand collapsed within two years due to poor marketing.
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PonoPlayer
Many celebrities believe they have what it takes to succeed in business, but few would dare to challenge Apple. Neil Young is an exception; he created the PonoPlayer as an alternative to the iPod. However, consumers weren’t convinced, and the venture ultimately failed.
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Té Casan
In 2008, Natalie Portman partnered with New York shoemaker Té Casan to launch a line of luxury vegan footwear. However, before her products could reach the market, Té Casan went bankrupt, ending her aspirations in the fashion industry.
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Heidiwood
Heidiwood, a clothing line aimed at teen girls, was launched in 2008 as a collaboration between Heidi Montag and Anchor Blue. While it wasn’t a total failure, it didn’t meet sales expectations, leading to the line’s retirement after just one year.
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Dirty Weekend
While Sean Stewart may not be as famous as his father, the legendary musician Rod Stewart, he has been working to make a name for himself in the fashion industry. Unfortunately, his efforts have not been successful, with his latest venture, the streetwear brand Dirty Weekend, reportedly struggling with debt and facing difficulties.
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Fashion Cafe
Fashion Cafe, a New York restaurant founded by Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, and Elle Macpherson, offered haute cuisine with a glamorous twist. However, the business suffered when its founders, brothers Tommaso and Francesco Buti, were caught cooking the books, leading to its closure just four years after opening.
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Nicky O Hotels
As an heiress to the Hilton hotel fortune, Nicky Hilton likely believed she was well-positioned to start her own hotel chain. Nicky O Hotels initially received financial backing from Robert Falor Investments, but the firm soon withdrew when they realized Hilton was more focused on partying than on running the business successfully.
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Planet Hollywood
Planet Hollywood, a movie-themed restaurant chain founded by Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Sylvester Stallone, went bankrupt shortly after its launch. Although the business was relaunched under new ownership, it went bankrupt again, and today only a few locations remain.
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Dive!
Dive!, a nautical-themed restaurant in Beverly Hills, was created by famed director Steven Spielberg and former Disney president Jeffrey Katzenberg. Despite lasting nearly five years, Dive! ultimately closed in 1999 due to unsustainable losses.
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Pastelle
Kanye West is now as famous for his fashion as for his music, with his Yeezy brand being one of the most sought-after names in the industry. However, his first attempt at fashion in 2008, with the launch of the clothing line Pastelle, was a major flop despite bringing in top designers.
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XXL
After building the WWE into a powerhouse, Vince McMahon shifted his focus to football by launching the XFL league. Intended as an alternative to the NFL, the league struggled to attract top talent, leading to low fan interest and ultimately its downfall.
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Harrington Club
Alongside his massive success with The Rolling Stones, Ronnie Wood has twice ventured into the nightclub scene. However, both of his clubs—Woody’s On The Beach in Miami and the Harrington Club in London—failed, closing within a few years of opening.
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Nyla
Nyla, a New York restaurant offering Louisiana-inspired cuisine, was a collaboration between Britney Spears and celebrity restaurateur Bobby Ochs. After receiving negative reviews, Spears quickly cut ties with the venture, and the restaurant closed within a year of opening.
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Dollhouse
Dollhouse, Paris Hilton’s brief attempt at a fashion brand, failed to make her any money and did little to counter claims of her self-obsession. The line primarily featured flashy t-shirts with Hilton’s face, which proved highly unpopular with shoppers.
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Belle Noel
Kim Kardashian has achieved huge success with her shapewear brand SKIMS, but one of her early business ventures didn’t fare as well. In 2011, she launched Belle Noel, an affordable jewelry line, but the products were criticized for being gaudy and low quality.
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Suzanne’s Kitchen
In 2007, self-help guru Suzanne Somers ventured into the food industry with Suzanne’s Kitchen, offering ready-made meals for home assembly. Though the brand showed potential, it faltered after Somers had a falling out with her business partner, former Kentucky Governor John Brown Jr.
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Sweetface
Although Jennifer Lopez now enjoys success with her clothing and lifestyle brand J.Lo, her first business venture, Sweetface, ended in failure. Launched in the mid-2000s, Sweetface struggled to turn a profit and was closed in 2008.
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Café Dupri
Jermaine Dupri, a prominent figure in Atlanta’s hip hop scene, faced challenges when he attempted to launch Café Dupri in his hometown. The cafe opened in 2005 and initially generated some buzz, but it struggled to maintain consistent profits and ultimately closed in 2008.
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38 Studios
After leaving Major League Baseball with millions, Curt Schilling invested much of his fortune into 38 Studios, an online game developer he founded in 2006. However, it turned out to be a poor investment, as the company quickly burned through cash without turning a profit, ultimately leaving Schilling bankrupt.
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Lucy In Disguise
Lucy In Disguise, a vintage clothing rental store launched in 2010 by Lily Allen and her half-sister Sarah Owen, originally opened in London’s expensive Covent Garden. However, slow business forced a relocation to Soho, and the store eventually closed down entirely.
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Angels & Kings Nightclub
Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz, known for his party lifestyle, opened a nightclub in New York City. However, the club’s lax security led to trouble, and in 2012, it was shut down after being caught serving alcohol to underage customers.
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House of Deréon
Beyoncé may be one of the wealthiest musicians globally, but like her husband Jay-Z, she’s experienced business setbacks. In 2006, she and her mother launched House of Deréon, a luxury clothing brand. However, its high-priced offerings struggled to attract buyers, leading to its eventual failure.
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HoffSpace
In the late 2000s, as social media became a booming industry, David Hasselhoff decided to join the trend by launching his own social networking site, HoffSpace. However, it failed to draw users away from more established platforms and ultimately flopped.
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The Clubhouse
In 1997, Kevin Costner ventured into the world of themed restaurants with The Clubhouse, a golf-themed eatery. Partnering with golf legend Jack Nicklaus, the duo struggled to make the business profitable, and the restaurant went under in 1999.
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DVB Style
As a fashion icon, it was no surprise that Victoria Beckham would eventually launch her own clothing line. Her first attempt, DVB Style, struggled to turn a profit. However, Beckham later found significant success with her Victoria brand.
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Antioch Ministry
Stephen Baldwin, brother of Alec Baldwin and a moderately successful actor, has dabbled in several unusual business ventures. One of the most bizarre was Antioch Ministry, a for-profit religious organization designed, in its own words, to “facilitate the gifts and calling of Stephen Baldwin.”
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Uncle P’s Foods
In September 2020, Master P launched Uncle P’s Foods, offering products inspired by Southern soul food. Though he intended to donate a portion of the profits to charitable causes, starting the business during a global lockdown turned out to be a poorly timed decision.
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