Tyra Banks is now embroiled in a $2.8 million lawsuit connected to a planned ice cream shop in Washington, D.C., after a landlord claimed the project collapsed only months after signing a long-term lease.
In a civil complaint filed in D.C. federal court and obtained by Entertainment Weekly, property owner Christopher Powell says he agreed to a 10-year commercial lease in April 2024 with Banks, her ice cream brand Smize & Dream, her nonprofit School of SMiZE, and business partner Louis Martin.
The agreement was supposed to establish a flagship Smize & Dream ice cream shop inside Powell’s building. Instead, he claims the project was abandoned that summer — and that no rent was ever paid.
According to the filing, Powell leased the property “as-is” after talks began in March 2024. He says Banks personally pitched the concept as far more than a dessert shop, describing it as a program that would give underserved youth opportunities to learn science, sales, and hospitality. The complaint also notes that Banks called the D.C. site “the flagship location” for a brand she hoped to expand worldwide.
Powell says he continued working on designs and development for the shop, only to later see Smize & Dream’s concepts showcased publicly for a new location in Sydney, Australia. The lawsuit alleges Banks and Martin “abruptly abandoned the premises in June 2024” and stopped communicating about rent.
The complaint argues Powell had “no indication” the deal was falling apart, stating that Banks and Martin repeatedly stressed their dedication to opening the shop in his building. He also claims that just weeks after leaving the property, the pair launched a Smize & Dream pop-up nearby while ignoring their contractual duties.
In September, Powell says he received a letter from Banks and Martin raising alleged issues with the property. The lawsuit calls those claims “untrue and irrelevant” and accuses the pair of threatening negative publicity if he took legal action. It also alleges they planned to dodge any judgment by shifting liability to an asset-less company.
Powell is seeking at least $2,831,331 in damages, plus late fees, interest, attorney’s fees, and other costs outlined in the lease. His lawyer, Arziki Adamu, said Powell “executed a valid lease” and was left with “no option but to sue” after the project was abandoned.
Attorneys for Banks and Martin have not commented publicly, though court records show their lawyer filed a motion to dismiss the case in November.
