It appears that after less than a year in business and tremendous fanfare, Pinky Cole's latest business endeavor has quietly closed. Voagies, Cole's vegan hoagie sandwich shop which she opened in place of the original Slutty Vegan on Ralph David Abernathy in Westview, debuted May 25, 2025.
Employees at the Edgewood Avenue Slutty Vegan restaurant indicate the closure of Voagies is permanent.
Ironically, Voagies' most recent Facebook post was March 30th, when they were advertising their gift cards for sale (which would now seem to be worthless).
Pinky Cole, the controversial to some, but inspirational to others, founder of both restaurants is a polarizing character, seemingly good at marketing, but not so good at managing and running restaurants.
Despite the Cole created fanfare at opening, Voagies has amassed only 112 reviews on Google with an overall rating of 4.4 stars. The restaurant's four most recent reviews - all received within the past four weeks - were two, four, two, and one star reviews.
Common complaints cite poor service, disappointing food, and the restaurant closing prior to its stated hours.
Interestingly, the messaging on the Voagies website would have you believe that Cole and company care a lot more about the food, service, and overall guest experience than the guest comments would suggest.
"At Voagies, our mission is to revolutionize the way people experience vegan food—one hoagie at a time. We serve bold, flavorful, plant-based sandwiches that honor culture, fuel community, and challenge the idea that vegan has to be boring. Through food, we’re creating a movement that’s inclusive, intentional, and unforgettable."
"When you walk into Voagies, you’re not just ordering food—you’re stepping into a movement. Our stores are alive with energy, our team is trained to serve with excellence, and every sandwich is a handcrafted masterpiece. From our signature sauces to our fresh-baked bread, we keep it fresh, fast, and unforgettable. This isn’t just vegan food—it’s vegan food with a vibe."
Perhaps the most cringeworthy, seemingly AI-crafted verbiage was "our story:"
"We took the soul of a Philly hoagie, the flavor of your favorite bodega sandwich, and gave it a vegan glow-up. Every bite is built with intention, nostalgia, and love—because we believe good food can change lives, spark conversation, and shift culture."
Following the closure of Voagies, Cole continues to operate two Slutty Vegan outposts in Georgia: on Edgewood Avenue and in Jonesboro. There are also single units in Birmingham, Brooklyn, and Baltimore. The Slutty Vegan website suggests there is also a location in Brandon, Florida (near Tampa), but online research suggests that after opening in early July 2025, the Florida location closed "temporarily" towards the end of 2025 and never reopened.
2026 has been a busy year for Cole, who declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February and also officially joined the cast of Season 17 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta the same month. She also had one of her homes seized by creditors only to win it back in court weeks later.
Cole, who by all accounts has had mixed success in restaurant ownership and growth highlighted by the fact that she squandered a $25 million investment headlined by Danny Meyer in 2022, indicated in testimony related to her bankruptcy filing that she earns up to $50,000 for speaking engagements, but that business has "been a bit slow." She also shared that she earns about $800 a week giving "business advice" to entrepreneurs.
The Slutty Vegan website also indicates that she is offering franchising with "Experienced Leadership" and "Proven Business Model" listed among the restaurant's "franchise advantages."
The branding of Voagies seemed to prepare it for the same type of multi-unit growth that Cole tried to create with Slutty Vegan, but if this short stint is permanent, that seems like money that would have been better spent paying off her outstanding debts.
Did you ever go to Voagies? Are you surprised to see Voagies closed? What are your thoughts on Pinky Cole?
Please share your thoughts below.
1 comment:
Well, I dont receive $800.00 for a speaking engagement. But I do provide successful advice for free. As long as the name "Slutty Vegan" is associated with any restaurant locations operated by Pink Cole, we should all alert to dine elsewhere. While someone in New York or the North East may find that name acceptable, it will not be leading Southern guest to a new dining experience. Clean up the Horrible name history. Then clean up the kitchens, common areas, freshen up the menus. Then establish common customer etiquette, customer respect and at last improve employee personal appearance and hygiene. Overall, my limited exposure to this food service seems to be the wrong person in the wrong business. I will not return and likely most of my friends will say the same.
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