Worcester restaurant serving food from Ghana seized by state due to unpaid taxes

A restaurant located on Worcester's Grafton Street that serves cuisine from Ghana has been seized by the state's Department of Revenue (DOR) due to unpaid taxes, according to two signs posted on the building's windows.
Accra Girls at 1280 Grafton St. was seized by the DOR because of nonpayment of taxes, the two orange signs read.
Emmanuel Larbi and Manasseh Konabu, the co-owner of Accra Girls, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday.
The Department of Revenue did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the timing of the seizure on Monday.
Accra Girls first opened in 2017, according to the Worcester Business Journal's profile on Larbi.
The Instagram page of the restaurant reads that it offers 'hospitality on a plate.'
The restaurant serves dishes from Ghana, which feature foods such as Jollof rice, boiled yam and spinach stew and Banku — a starchy dish made of corn and cassava doughs.
Worcester father of 4-month-old deported after ICE 'violated his rights,' attorney says
Mass. Hidden Gems: Comfy classics and a mystery menu at Peppercorn's
Here's where to see fireworks this weekend in Massachusetts
Read the original article on MassLive.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Miami Herald

5 hours ago

• Miami Herald

McDonald's to suffer massive boycott from customers

Over the past year, McDonald's (MCD) has struggled to resonate with consumers after facing backlash for dramatically hiking its menu prices during inflation. To add fuel to the fire, it also suffered a temporary E. coli outbreak in a few of its restaurant locations in October, further scaring away customers. Amid these challenges, McDonald's sales have declined over the past few financial quarters, despite its efforts to win back customers with menu changes and deals, and the trend continued during the first few months of this year. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter McDonald's first-quarter earnings report for 2025 revealed that its U.S. comparable sales decreased by 3.6% year-over-year. This contributed to the company facing a 3% year-over-year decline in its operating income, which is its profit after paying operating expenses. Related: McDonald's CEO sounds alarm on major customer problem Also, according to recent data from the number of customers that visited McDonald's stores during the quarter fell by 2.6%. During an earnings call on May 1, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski said that the "impact of inflation and heightened anxiety about the economic outlook" impacted sales during the quarter. "We entered 2025 knowing that it would be a challenging time for the QSR industry due to macroeconomic uncertainty and pressures weighing on the consumer," said Kempczinski. "During the first quarter, geopolitical tensions added to the economic uncertainty and dampened consumer sentiment more than we expected." As McDonald's struggles to attract customers to its restaurants, it has another major problem on its hands that threatens to impact sales. Between June 24 and June 30, the fast-food chain will face a major boycott from customers, which The People's Union USA is organizing. The group previously organized boycotts of Amazon, Walmart, and Target earlier this year. In a recent Instagram post, The People's Union USA founder John Schwarz said that the group is calling for a boycott of McDonald's for five reasons. First, he alleges the fast-food chain pays "less in taxes than the people serving their food." "McDonald's benefits from loopholes and offshore tax havens, allowing them to pay a fraction of what they should," he wrote in the post. "Meanwhile, their minimum wage employees pay more in effective taxes than the billion-dollar corporation they work for." Related: McDonald's announces major store change to win back customers Second, he claims McDonald's is "one of the worst offenders of price gouging" as it has "dramatically raised prices in the last few years," despite raking in record profits. Third, Schwarz claims McDonald's "has a long history of anti-union tactics, silencing employees, and avoiding accountability." "They use franchise loopholes to dodge direct responsibility while lobbying against higher wages and benefits," wrote Schwarz. Fourth, he alleges that McDonald's exploits "global supply chains and environmental loopholes" as its supply chain is connected to "deforestation, poor labor conditions, and unsustainable agricultural practices." Fifth, he said McDonald's likes to "perform DEI for the cameras but fund the opposite." "While McDonald's runs DEI-focused ads, their political donations and lobbying often support candidates and legislation that undermine equity, labor rights, and marginalized communities," he wrote. The People's Union USA has been organizing "economic blackouts" of large corporations since February. So far, it has organized specific weeklong boycotts aimed at Amazon, Walmart, General Mills, and Target. Starbucks, Home Depot, and Lowe's are next on its list. According to the group's website, it aims to "expose corruption and exploitation" and "hold corporations accountable" through these boycotts. More Food + Dining: Domino's Pizza unveils generous deal amid alarming consumer trendSteak 'n Shake's beef tallow fries aren't as healthy as they appearThe Cheesecake Factory makes bittersweet changes to its menu "We're building a people-powered force that's not just pushing back, but preparing to take power back from the corporations, the billionaire class, and the political parasites that have been feeding off our work, our wages, and our rights for far too long," said The People's Union USA on its website. Amid heightened political tensions, more consumers nationwide are opting to protest with their wallets. According to a recent survey from CLYDE/Ipsos, 53% of Americans said that if a company takes a stand on an issue they disagree with, they are less likely to buy their products or use their services. Related: Dollar General suffers major boycott from customers The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.

Chicago Tribune

9 hours ago

• Chicago Tribune

Today in Chicago History: First Dairy Queen opens in Joliet

Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on June 22, according to the Tribune's archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) Vintage Chicago Tribune: How Chicago became the go-to city for political conventions1912: President William H. Taft's renomination as Republican candidate at the party's convention in Chicago was met with stormy opposition from former President Theodore Roosevelt, who then broke away to form the Progressive, or Bull Moose Party, which also had its convention in Chicago. Both candidates lost to Democrat Woodrow Wilson. 1937: Joe Louis became heavyweight boxing champion of the world by dethroning James Braddock in front of 41,675 paying customers in Comiskey Park. It was the first heavyweight title fight in Chicago in 10 years. 1940: The original Dairy Queen opened at 501 N. Chicago St. in Joliet. Sherwood Noble (known as Sherb) started selling soft-serve ice cream — which had been created by his friend J.F. McCullough — at his Kankakee ice cream store in 1938. He chose the name of the new shop to reflect his belief, 'the cow was the queen on the dairy industry.' Noble died in 1991, and Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway acquired Dairy Queen in 1997. O'Hare International Airport: From farm to global terminal1949: The Douglas airport became O'Hare Field and Northerly Island airport became Merrill C. Meigs Field with approval by the Chicago City Council. 1987: The Chicago Bulls acquired Central Arkansas forward and first-round pick Scottie Pippen in a trade with Seattle for Olden Polynice and added Clemson forward Horace Grant in the first round. 2016: The Bulls traded Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks. Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past.

Newsweek

10 hours ago

• Newsweek

Neglected Mom Dog 'Gave Everything' So Puppies Could Live—Now It's Her Turn

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A mom dog rescued in an alarming state of neglect, having given everything to make sure her puppies survived, is seeking a forever home to call her own. An estimated 10 million animals die from abuse each year in the U.S., according to Shelter Animals Count, a nonprofit organization dedicated to collecting, analyzing, and sharing data on animal sheltering. When Deb was first spotted wandering around outside the home of one of the foster carers at Shultz's Guest House (SGH), a dog rescue shelter located in Dedham, Massachusetts, it was obvious she needed help. "She was emaciated and clearly nursing. One of her puppies was seen wandering alongside her," Merrill Fortier, from SGH, told Newsweek. "We later discovered that the person responsible for her care hadn't been feeding her or her litter, who were about 7 or 8 weeks old at the time. Deb was starving, and her milk was the only thing keeping her babies alive." According to Fortier, Deb's owner was a "known drug user" who did little to care for his canine companion. "Deb had been left to survive on her own. Her owner had told our foster that the filthy mattress by the side of the road was 'her bed,'" she said. "Despite all this, she held on through the hardships. She's only 2 or 3 years old, but what she's endured is unimaginable." Aware there were likely more puppies around the property, the foster carer asked the man living with Deb and her pups to willingly surrender all of the dogs as it would "be in their best interest." He agreed and, soon enough, Deb and her puppies were taken away. It was good timing. "Just four days later, their owner's house was destroyed in a meth-related fire," Fortier said. All of the dogs have made incredible progress in the time since their rescue. Having nursed them through such a difficult period, Deb has now watched each and every one of her puppies get adopted. Fortier would like to see the same happen with Deb. "She's great with other dogs, adores people including kids, and carries herself with confidence," Fortier said. "Her strength and gentle heart shine through and there's no trace of bitterness in her." As a video posted to the shultzsguest Instagram detailing her journey account sums up best, Deb "gave everything" so that her puppies could survive and ultimately thrive despite such difficult beginnings. Now it's her turn. "Mama dogs like Deb are among the most resilient and loving we encounter," Fortier said. "As a pit bull, she also stands as a reminder of how misunderstood these dogs still are even though they make the most loyal, affectionate family pets."