For those of you who are familiar with reality TV, you’ll likely know the infamous Amy and Samy of Amy’s Baking Company located originally in Scottsdale, Arizona. The controversial owners became famous after appearing on the U.S reality TV show ‘Kitchen Nightmares’ in 2013. With massive public backlash, it is fair to ask if Amy’s Baking Company is still open in their home state of Arizona.
The couple opened their first business ‘Amy’s Baking Company’ in 2006 after having run an unsuccessful cake-making business that they had started ten years earlier. On the show ‘Kitchen Nightmares’ celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay attempts to turn around failing restaurants. However, the Amy’s Baking Company nightmare only got worse when the couple refused to implement Ramsay’s advice and publically humiliated him. This lead to outpourings of public hatred – resulting in threats of physical violence.
The restaurant gained national attention and a cyber army of haters in the lead up to their eventual closure. When questions about whether Amy’s Baking Company may return sprung up, the owners released a statement stating: ‘[The company] no longer exists and never will again in any form’.
It is therefore with finality Amy’s Baking Company no longer open in Arizona. Despite widespread coverage of the controversy, local business experts attributed the actual demise of the business to poor business management practices: ‘From the beginning, Amy and Samy were destined to fail’, advised Dr. David Shiffman, professor of Entrepreneurship at Arizona State University. Reflecting on the couple’s management practices, Shiffman argued that the business owners did not understand their customer base and what made their business unique.
However, since the closure there has been some debate over whether the restaurant had a fair chance: ‘We must remember Sammy and Amy were under immense public pressure due to their appearance on the TV show’, said Lauren Sutton, the restaurant’s former head chef. Looking back on her time the kitchen, she defended the couple and argued that they have ‘worked hard and genuinely cared about the business’.
The Aftermath
News of Amy’s Baking Company’s closure spread quickly. The controversy surrounding the restaurant had created an intense amount of public outrage. Although many customers were upset about the company’s demise, the couple also received a large number of supportive messages. In particular, numerous locals in Arizona sent positive well-wishes to Amy and Samy, expressing sympathy and understanding.
Despite it’s closure, Amy’s Baking Company flame continues to burn. News of the restaurant was shared widely on social media, with Facebook and Twitter serving as the primary channels for its dissemination. Fans of Amy and Samy kept the restaurant’s legacy alive through sharing news and images from the company’s past. Furthermore, a Facebook fan-page was created with the specific objective of helping the couple get back to business.
Post 2016, the couple were making some attempts at rebranding. The Scarlett Lounge saw the opening of a new sweet shop in Gilbert. It was run by Amy and Samy and although reviews were mixed, it seemed that the couple had not given up their dreams of owning a successful business.
Financial Impact
In a heated business climate such as Arizona, money talk is likely to be the major impact. The closure of Amy’s Baking Company affected the state’s economy, as the Scottsdale restaurant was a major employer in the area. The business’s closure also saw a loss of revenue that was estimated to be in the high six figures.
In addition to this, the restaurant’s closure also led to a minor financial recession in the surrounding area, as other business’s that relied on the restaurant for their own survival faced closure. The influence of Amy’s Baking Company was obviously not limited to just their business, but their neighbourhood as well.
In terms of revenue, it is estimated that Amy’s Baking Company’s closure cost Arizona an estimated $600,000 in revenue. This figure does not take into account the minor economic recession experienced in the area nor the other businesses that were negatively impacted by the closure.
Public Opinion
When Amy and Samy appeared on Kitchen Nightmares, they immediately divided the public. Some felt sympathy for the couple, whilst others felt that they had no right to behave the way they did. Furthermore, the couple often pointed their fingers at the public, accusing them of deliberately misunderstanding their business. This lead to more polarised views about the couple and their business.
Public opinion of Amy and Samy has only escalated over time, as many believe that their restaurant closure was a direct result of their poor management and handling of their media controversy. Moreover, some have argued that the couple were intentionally courting controversy in order to gain public attention, but ultimately remain unconcerned by the consequences of their behaviour.
Others, however, have defended the couple, criticizing the media for their hostile coverage of Amy and Samy. Supporters of the couple find that the business fiasco was, in large part, the result of their appearance on Kitchen Nightmares. Typical of reality TV, the couple were manipulated and exploited in a way that made it difficult to have a publically successful outcome.
Living On
Despite the closure of their business and despite the public backlash that followed, it seems that the legacy of Amy and Samy is still alive. The couple still remains active on social media and supporters of the couple continue to show their loyalty even to this date. Furthermore, the restaurant continues to transcend the physical, being now marketed through both online and offline channels.
What remains to be seen is how Amy and Samy will move forward in their entrepreneurial aspirations. The question of whether their future ventures will be more successful than their first venture remains to be answered. The couple have reportedly noted their desire to continue in the food industry, however, given the public’s opinion of them it remains to be seen if they will find a future audience large enough to be viable.
Legal Action
In 2016, following the closure of Amy’s Baking Company, the couple issued a lawsuit against Gordon Ramsay and Kitchen Nightmares. The lawsuit stated that Ramsay and the show had unfairly portrayed the couple and their restaurant in a negative light. The couple had initially sought $10 million in damages, but the case was not heard.
There have been rumours recently that the couple has plans to launch a new business in the Phoenix area. Despite being under close scrutiny, the couple does still hold hope for a more successful business venture this time around. As of yet, no legal action has been taken against the couple. It remains to be seen if legal action would be taken against them if their second business venture fails.
Phoenix Comeback
Since the closure of their original business, Amy and Samy have fought to rebuild their reputation and the trust with their customers. Despite their efforts so far, the couple are still trying to erase the impact that their initial venture had on the public in Arizona. People’s opinions of the couple may never completely go away, as the public opinion surrounding their original business was so highly polarised.
It remains to be seen if the couple will have better luck in Phoenix than they had in Scottsdale. However, if their previous ventures have been any indication their new Phoenix business venture is likely to just as controversial.
The original controversy surrounding the couples venture into the restaurant industry affected a widespread section of customers in the community. Reports of the couple’s return to Phoenix have caused much discussion within the community, as many are still not convinced if the couples second venture will be successful. It is certain that any new venture that the couple engage in wll be closely watched and closely judged.
Strategic Missteps
When it comes to the failure of the Amy’s Baking Company, it is not all down to mismanagement and misfortune. In fact, there were many strategic missteps that were taken that contributed to the demise of the business. Many experts and locals argued that the couple’s management strategies were too often reactive and not proactive, as they often waited until it was too late to introduce new changes.
In addition to this, many locals argued that the couple should have invested more time in marketing their restaurant, as the name of the business was not well known in the area. Customers did not know what to expect, so many of them just did not bother visiting the restaurant. It is clear that the couple missed a big opportunity to build a loyal customer base, which could have ultimately saved the business.
Another area in which the couple failed to capitalize was their social media presence. The couple were very active on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube but unfortunately, their presence was more often negative than positive.
This lack of engagement and polarization of customers only added to the public’s increasing mistrust of the business. Ultimately, the bad publicity caused by the couple’s online activities, coupled with their lack of strategy when it came to customer engagement, helped to push the business further towards its eventual closure.
