Slutty Vegan appears in Detroit plan review for West Elizabeth Street restaurant

Overview

Updated Oct 26

Slutty Vegan, the Atlanta plant-based burger chain, is building a Detroit restaurant at 1441 W. Elizabeth St. in Corktown. The company said in an October 5, 2026 post that construction was officially underway, and Axios reported October 6 that no opening date has been announced. The city's public data list shows a food establishment application at that address in plan review, an early administrative licensing step.

The Detroit franchise was signed in June 2026 with local entrepreneur Obinani Iwuoha, the chain's first Midwest franchise deal. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February 2026, according to MLive citing Atlanta News First. Plan review does not confirm an opening date. If the restaurant opens, Detroit would be the chain's first Michigan location.

Why it matters

A Detroit restaurant would mark Slutty Vegan's first Michigan outpost, bringing a nationally known Black-owned vegan chain to the city.

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Key Indicators

$25M

Series A funding raised

Reported on Slutty Vegan's website.

$100M+

Company valuation

Reported on Slutty Vegan's website.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Pinky Cole

Founder and chief executive of Slutty Vegan

Leading the company's expansion beyond the South

Organizations Involved

Slutty Vegan

Restaurant chain

Seeking its first Michigan location

Atlanta-based chain serving plant-based burgers and fast food.

Detroit Health Department

Municipal health agency

Reviewing the Slutty Vegan application

Oversees food establishment licensing in Detroit.

Timeline

August 2018 October 2026

6 events Latest: October 23rd, 2026 · 3 weeks ago

Tap a bar to jump to that date

October 2026
Slutty Vegan Detroit appears in city plan review list
Latest Regulatory

Detroit Health Department's public list shows a Slutty Vegan food establishment application at 1441 W Elizabeth St in plan review.
October 23rd, 2026
Construction officially underway at Detroit site
Construction

The company said in a LinkedIn post that construction had officially started on the Detroit location. Axios reported on October 6 that no opening date has been announced.
October 5th, 2026
June 2026
Slutty Vegan signs Detroit franchise agreement
Franchise

The company signed a franchise agreement with Obinani Iwuoha to develop its first Midwest location in Detroit. The release said the restaurant would open later that year.
June 17th, 2026
February 2026
Slutty Vegan and Pinky Cole file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Financial

The company and founder Pinky Cole filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, according to reporting that cites Atlanta News First. Cole reportedly owed $1.2 million to the U.S. Small Business Administration.
February 2026
2022
Slutty Vegan expands to Birmingham and Brooklyn
Expansion

The chain opens locations in Alabama and New York, its first outside Georgia.
2022
August 2018
Pinky Cole starts Slutty Vegan in shared Atlanta kitchen
Founding

Cole begins cooking vegan burgers in a shared kitchen in Atlanta.
August 2018

Scenarios

Slutty Vegan opens Detroit restaurant on West Elizabeth

Likely Resolves by Oct 23, 2027

Discussed by: Detroit dining media and the chain's expansion history

If the health department approves the plan review and the company finishes the remaining licensing steps, Slutty Vegan would open at 1441 W Elizabeth St. The chain has opened in a new city roughly every year since 2022, so a completed approval fits that pattern.

Detroit plan review stalls or application is withdrawn

Possible Resolves by Oct 23, 2027

Discussed by: Restaurant licensing observers

Plan review can take months, and some applications never move forward. If Slutty Vegan shifts focus to other markets or the West Elizabeth location falls through, the application would stall or be withdrawn without a restaurant opening.

Extended plan review delays Detroit opening beyond a year

Possible Resolves by Oct 23, 2027

Discussed by: Detroit food licensing trackers

Plan review sits early in Detroit's licensing process, and the full sequence can run long. The application could stay active but unresolved past October 2027, neither approved nor withdrawn, leaving the West Elizabeth location unopened.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

August 2018

Slutty Vegan's Atlanta launch (August 2018)

Pinky Cole started cooking vegan burgers in a shared Atlanta kitchen in August 2018 after her Jamaican restaurant in New York burned down. The first Slutty Vegan location opened soon after in Atlanta's West End and drew hours-long lines.

Then

Sales reached $4 million within the first six months, per the company.

Now

The brand grew to multiple Georgia cities and raised $25 million in Series A funding.

Why this matters now

Shows the company's pattern of growing from a single location into new markets, which a Detroit opening would continue.

2022