I decided not to skip lunch today, and figured since we hadn't tried pizza yet:
"Upper Crust franchisees cutting ties" by Jenn Abelson | Globe Staff, April 12, 2013
PLYMOUTH — Upper Crust founder Jordan Tobins, who owns the franchising rights and company name, along with restaurants in Brookline and Beacon Hill, did not return messages seeking comment. Tobins has kept a low profile since working with a private equity firm to purchase several upper Crust stores at the bankruptcy auction and re-open locations in the South End, Watertown, Lexington, and Wellesley....
Related: Private Equity Slices Pizza Crust
Don't burn the roof of your mouth.
A lawsuit was filed by former Brazilian workers at stores in the Boston area accusing Upper Crust of exploiting employees. More damaging allegations were reported in a December 2010 investigation published by the Globe that revealed immigrant laborers from a poor village in Brazil were underpaid for long work weeks while owners indulged in luxuries such as a yacht and a plane. Federal labor officials eventually ordered the pizza chain to pay workers about $350,000 in overtime, but company executives then allegedly came up with a plan to take the money back by slashing wages, resulting in a class-action lawsuit and another labor investigation.
Soon, people began questioning Mark Tramontana’s business practices in Newburyport and Portsmouth. Tramontana, another former Upper Crust franchisee who shut down his Portsmouth restaurant earlier this year and recently terminated his relationship with the company, received hate mail. His employees faced the wrath of some customers. Tramontana said he did his best to explain he was a franchisee — and even put up signs with a photo of his family that described the shop as “independently owned and operated.”
“When you buy into a franchise, you’re buying into a brand image and goodwill, and you assume things are going to be good if not better moving forward,” Tramontana said. “You never expect this to happen.”
Despite sliding sales, the franchisees stuck by Upper Crust and refused to criticize the owners, even as they feuded and charged each other with misusing corporate funds....
You don't bite the hand that feed$ you, right?
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A quick check of the oven:
"Prosecutors file murder charges in Brazil fire" by Stan Lehman | Associated Press, April 03, 2013
SAO PAULO — Eight people have been charged in connection with the deadly nightclub fire in southern Brazil that killed 241 people earlier this year, prosecutors said Tuesday.
They burned it?
The Jan. 27 fire roared through the crowded, windowless Kiss nightclub in the city of Santa Maria, filling the air with flames and thick, toxic smoke.
Police have said the band performing at the club lit a flare that ignited flammable soundproofing foam on the ceiling, releasing a deadly combination of cyanide, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide.
Prosecutor David Medina told a Tuesday news conference that the nightclub’s two owners and two band members were charged with murder....
Two firefighters who allegedly tried to show that the nightclub had passed safety inspection tests were charged with evidence tampering....
The disaster, the worst fire of its kind in more than a decade, raised questions about whether safety can be ensured in such venues as the country prepares to host next year’s World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.
What, you want to take it away from them now?
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Also see: Sunday Globe Special: Quick Set From The Station
How you gonna pay for that pizza?
"Brazil money transfer business shut down" by Chris Reidy | Globe Staff, April 10, 2013
The Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation and the Division of Banks said Wednesday that the division ordered Saugus-based Braz Transfers Inc. to immediately cease accepting money from Massachusetts consumers and transmitting those funds to foreign countries.
The Commonwealth alleges in a temporary order to cease and desist that the company was illegally remitting money to Brazil.
An attempt to reach Braz Transfers was not immediately successful. On its website, the company posted a message, part of which read: “Braz Transfers, through its director Deneir Rosa and staff, comes respectfully to communicate the termination of its activities. Unfortunately, for reasons beyond our will and circumstances such action became inevitable.”
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During a review, the division found that the company “falsified payment receipts to transfer funds from Massachusetts consumers to parties in Brazil,” a press release from the Office of Consumer Affairs said. It is uncertain whether the intended recipients of fund transfers received the money, the release added.
“Fabrication of documents is an attempt to deceive Massachusetts consumers and regulators,” Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation Undersecretary Barbara Anthony said in a statement. “These findings are a significant violation of laws that are in place to protect consumers when they send money internationally, and these actions are unconscionable.”
Remember the yellowcake forgeries regarding Iraq? Maybe that could be today's "dessert."
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No pizza for you!
