A progressive coffee chain, Busboys and Poets, is being sued after dropping a mixed-race author, over his novel featuring a fake gender transition.
Jordan Randall’s 2023 novel Pinkface follows Alfred Hall, a wealthy suburban high school senior who, after being rejected from his backup college, pretends to transition into a woman in an attempt to gain an advantage in admissions—only to go viral and unexpectedly become a prominent public figure within the trans community.
Randall, who is not transgender, later signed a contract with the Washington, D.C.–based coffee chain, which initially agreed to promote, showcase, and sell the book before abruptly canceling the arrangement after he submitted a photograph of himself.
According to the legal complaint reviewed by the Daily Caller, Busboys and Poets later offered shifting explanations for canceling the arrangement, including claims that the book was “transphobic” or that Jordan Randall was writing about experiences he did not personally identify with.
The lawsuit alleges the company continued promoting similar books by authors writing outside their own identities while falsely labeling Randall “transphobic,” allegedly damaging his professional reputation and future career opportunities. The suit further alleges violations of federal and Maryland civil rights laws, breach of contract, and defamation.
At the heart of Randall’s case is the allegation that Busboys and Poets repeatedly agreed in writing to sell and promote the book after it passed the company’s application process. According to the complaint, the company committed to marketing the novel through email promotions, reserving event space, and entering into a consignment agreement, but later reversed course.
A Busboys and Poets “Event Consignment Contract” reviewed by the Caller shows Randall signed the agreement on Nov. 6, 2022. Under the contract, Randall would receive 60% of each book sold at a listed price of $15. The agreement outlined the responsibilities of both parties, though it does not appear to include a signature from a company representative.
A TikTok showing a Busboys and Poets location highlighted how the restaurant has been publicly listed and promoted as a Black-owned business on various platforms and campaigns, drawing attention to how ownership labels are presented online.
The chain is owned by Iraqi-born artist, activist, and restaurateur Andy Shallal. Busboys and Poets has previously drawn attention after being listed as a black-owned business and participating in Black Restaurant Week events, despite Shallal not being black.
The chain’s inclusion in Black Restaurant Week in 2020 came as interest in black-owned businesses surged amid the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. That same year, Yelp reported that interest in black-owned businesses had increased by more than 7,000% compared to the previous year, as consumers sought to support black-owned restaurants and businesses following nationwide racial justice protests, according to a Forbes report.
Shallal now owns eight locations across the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Following the 2005 opening of the flagship location in northwest Washington, D.C., the company’s “About Us” page stated that “the neighboring residents, and the progressive community embraced Busboys and Poets, particularly activists opposed to the Iraq War.”
In court transcripts obtained by the Caller, a representative for Busboys and Poets described Randall’s book—which follows a high school senior who fakes a gender transition to a woman in an attempt to gain preferential treatment in college admissions—as containing an “anti-trans trope.” The representative added that they could “see how a progressive bookstore may be uncomfortable with that type of subject matter.
The representative also pointed to books sold by the chain, such as Yellowface, in which a struggling white writer steals a manuscript from her deceased Asian-American rival, adopts a vaguely ethnic identity, and becomes a literary star before the deception unravels, as well as works by Juno Dawson centered on queer and transgender experiences.
In the transcript, the company representative argued that because R.F. Kuang is Asian-American and Dawson is transgender, their explorations of race, cultural appropriation, identity politics, and gender were viewed as more authentic and culturally acceptable — reasoning critics argue amounts to a modern “separate but equal” standard that was used to justify ending the deal with Randall.
The controversy also drew renewed attention to Busboys and Poets and Shallal’s longstanding progressive branding and public identity politics. The chain has frequently been featured in social media posts, websites, and promotional lists highlighting black-owned businesses, and has participated in black Restaurant Week events.
In 2020, Busboys and Poets was listed in “Black-owned” business categories on Postmates and frequently appeared as a top result for searches of black-owned restaurants, according to a Washington Free Beacon report. A Postmates spokesperson confirmed to the outlet that the restaurant itself was not consulted about the designation.
Online discussions around Busboys and Poets have drawn criticism from some alleged former employees, who question the gap between the company’s public branding and how it operates behind the scenes.
Online discussions and comment sections have additionally included criticism from alleged former employees, some of whom accused Andy Shallal of taking advantage of the black community while publicly marketing the business as aligned with it.
In one interview with The Washingtonian, Shallal reportedly said, “Yes, I am controlling in my ways. But it’s for a greater purpose. . . . I am going to pander to the black community at some level. I want to win them over,” in reference to how he planned to market the restaurant, according to the report.
Andy Shallal, the owner of Busboys and Poets, quoted in an interview with the Washingtonian, expressing a strategic approach to outreach, saying he aimed to shape his messaging in a way that would build support within Black communities.
In a separate interview with The Baltimore Sun, he also claimed to have “always identified much more with black culture,” according to the report.
The coffee shop and restaurant chain has also hosted a “Purple Party” in 2022 and a “Holiday Party” in 2024 for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Online discourse surrounding Shallal has at times centered on accusations that he presents a public image of supporting the Black community while behaving differently behind closed doors. One alleged former employee described him as a “piece of work” and claimed there was a “whole ass FB group made for current and former employees.”
In another video circulating online, an employee of Busboys and Poets describes the business as “black-ran, look at all of us, we’re black-owned.”
Andy Shallal, whose ownership stake in the company is mixed, has also made political donations to a number of Democratic candidates. Those contributions include former Reps. Cori Bush of Missouri and Jamaal Bowman of New York, as well as current Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and Summer Lee of Pennsylvania, according to OpenSecrets records.
The Caller reached out to Shallal for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
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