In Seattle, the ambitious regenerative fast-food project Mt. Joy has closed after failing to withstand competition. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks signed record contract with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, shaping the team's future, and brought safety D'Anthony Bell back onto the roster.
Mt. Joy closure: how an ambitious regenerative fast-food project in Seattle succumbed to competition
An unexpected chapter closed for one of the most ambitious culinary startups in recent years — both locations of Mt. Joy, a chain that marketed itself as a pioneer of regenerative agriculture in fast food, have shut their doors. What began as a food truck with national expansion dreams became a stark example of how even an innovative concept and a star-studded founding team can fail against the harsh realities of the restaurant business.
Mt. Joy launched in 2023 not just as another spot serving chicken sandwiches, but as a manifesto. Its founders were well-known Seattle figures: tech executive Robby Kape, restaurateur Ethan Stowell, pastry chef Dionne Himmelfarb and Justin Kaufman. Their aim was to create "the first restaurant in the Pacific Northwest focused on regenerative practices." What does that mean in practice? Regenerative agriculture is an approach to land management that prioritizes not just maintenance but active improvement of soil and ecosystem health. Methods include minimizing tillage and restoring carbon and water cycles, which proponents say yield more nutrient-dense products. Mt. Joy positioned itself as a "village of farmers, cooks and food advocates" trying to prove that fast-casual food can be both tasty and planet-friendly.
Starting as a food truck in the parking lot of a former Starbucks on Capitol Hill, the project quickly expanded: the first brick-and-mortar opened on 11th Avenue in 2023, and in 2024 a second, 900-square-foot location opened in South Lake Union. The menu included classic and spicy chicken sandwiches (about $14), a portobello sandwich, boneless wings and a Mediterranean-style chicken rice bowl (priced from $9 to $15). However, despite what seemed like a solid foundation, Mt. Joy’s fate was short-lived. According to The Puget Sound Business Journal, control of the business passed in June 2025 to Daniel Brewer, a co-founder of Conscious Hospitality, an apparent last attempt to save the venture. It was unsuccessful.
Mt. Joy’s closure highlights several key problems. First, it shows the difficulty of introducing a niche, premium, ethically oriented concept into the hypercompetitive fast-food market, especially in the chicken-sandwich segment dominated by giants like Chick-fil-A and numerous local players. A $14 sandwich, while not exorbitant for Seattle, may have been a barrier to everyday demand. Second, the ambitions may have outpaced reality. Co-founder Robby Kape told Eater Seattle he saw Mt. Joy as a "billion-dollar brand" with potential for 1,000 locations nationwide, as The Puget Sound Business Journal notes. That kind of scale-driven thinking, common in tech, doesn't always translate to restaurants, where success depends on fine operational execution, local recognition and a sustainable economic model. Ultimately, even a progressive philosophy — regenerative agriculture — couldn’t save the business when key factors didn’t align: steady customer flow, cost control and, perhaps, supply-chain challenges sourcing eco-friendly ingredients. Mt. Joy’s story is a reminder to investors and founders that in gastronomy mission and product quality must be inseparable from financial viability, especially as consumers become more selective with spending.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s contract: how a record deal shapes the Seahawks’ future and ripples through the NFL
In the world of professional American football, where star contract negotiations often come with public disputes and protracted standoffs, the Seattle Seahawks did something unusual. They made their wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba the highest-paid player at his position in the NFL — and they did it quickly and without the usual drama. This contrasts with the team’s recent past, when deals for players like Jamal Adams, Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson involved holdouts and last-minute bargaining. According to ESPN, Smith-Njigba’s new contract is worth $168.6 million over four years with more than $120 million guaranteed, making it the largest in franchise history.
Why did the Seahawks act now, on the eve of a possible ownership change? ESPN analysts see a strategic move. First, the team apparently aimed to get ahead of the market, especially given the Los Angeles Rams’ upcoming negotiations with their star receiver Puka Nacua. Smith-Njigba and Nacua were both members of the 2023 draft class with comparable production, and Jaxon’s contract now sets a new financial benchmark for that receiver class. Second, the deal reflects the value of a player who not only led the league in receptions in 2025 and won a Super Bowl, but also fits the team’s “mission over noise” philosophy.
The logical next step for Seattle is extending cornerback Devon Witherspoon, another key 2023 draftee. However, that task grew more complicated after the Rams signed Trent McDuffie for $124 million, making him the highest-paid cornerback in the league. Witherspoon — whose achievements (three straight Pro Bowl selections) are impressive — will now likely seek a deal north of $31 million per year. That likely explains the Seahawks’ restraint in the free-agent market — they have been conserving resources specifically for large internal investments like this.
As for quarterback Sam Darnold, who, despite a Super Bowl win and a Pro Bowl nod, remains undervalued at 15th-highest salary among QBs, he will have to wait. Seattle adheres to a strict rule: don’t extend contracts with more than one year remaining. That policy has applied even to stars, as Gino Smith learned earlier. The team’s stance remains firm.
The structure of Smith-Njigba’s contract is a case of financial engineering. While the Seahawks traditionally avoid guarantees beyond the first year, they made an exception here because the fifth-year option on the draft pick was already guaranteed. The main payout, a $35 million signing bonus, is allocated to 2026, with option bonuses spread into 2027 and 2029. Interestingly, another key player — offensive tackle Charles Cross — has major option bonuses scheduled in even years (2026, 2028). This staggered approach helps the team smooth cash flows and manage the salary cap, which benefits both current and future owners. Analysts note that the impending club sale didn’t change the deal’s structure — the team is simply following long-standing financial planning principles.
For the Los Angeles Rams and Puka Nacua, Smith-Njigba’s contract is both a gift and a challenge. On one hand, Nacua now has a clear benchmark for negotiations. On the other, the Rams are known for tough negotiating stances (recall Aaron Donald and Matthew Stafford) and may push back against the rapid escalation of receiver salaries, which have grown roughly 280% over the last decade. Still, they have long viewed Nacua as a star and have been preparing for this moment.
So, the Jaxon Smith-Njigba deal is more than a reward for a talented player. It’s a strategic maneuver that shapes the Seahawks’ financial future for years, laying the groundwork to keep the core of a championship roster together while setting a new valuation standard for elite NFL receivers.
Safety situation: Seahawks bring back D'Anthony Bell
In professional football, where rosters can change at lightning speed, the return of a familiar face often carries a special story. That is the case with safety D'Anthony Bell, who has rejoined the Seattle Seahawks, the team announced on its official site. This is not merely a routine free-agent signing in 2026; it’s a decision steeped in the player’s personal history and the club’s strategic needs.
Last season was emotionally mixed for Bell. While he was part of the Seahawks’ successful regular season, he was surprisingly claimed late in the year by the Carolina Panthers. Although that move was validation of his talent and brought financial benefit from being on an active roster rather than the practice squad, it had a downside: Bell watched Seattle’s playoff run and Super Bowl victory from the sidelines, unable to contribute in the decisive games. Reflecting philosophically on the experience, he said: “Of course it was frustrating not to get the chance to play in the Super Bowl, but everything happens for a reason — that’s how I view it. My chance to play in a Super Bowl will come when it’s supposed to. But I’m happy to be back and be part of this team, and I can say I was part of a Super Bowl–winning team, so that will still be part of the memory.” His return is both a chance for him to make up for what he missed and for the club to regain a proven contributor.
From a football perspective, Bell’s value to the Seahawks is multifaceted. First, he provides reliable depth at safety. In today’s NFL, where injuries are common, having quality backups on defense is critical. Additionally, Bell is already familiar with Seattle’s defensive schemes and can be deployed effectively in three-safety packages, adding flexibility to the team’s defensive alignments. Perhaps his most significant contribution, however, is on special teams. During his previous stint with the Seahawks, Bell played 66% of special teams snaps, logged five tackles in that unit and — most memorably — blocked a punt in Week 3 in a win over the New Orleans Saints. A blocked punt — when a defender disrupts the kicker’s punt — often leads to a turnover or immediate scoring opportunity, and that skill is an extremely valuable asset.
Thus, signing D'Anthony Bell is a strategically measured move by the Seahawks. The club not only strengthens its defensive depth and gains an experienced special-teams player, but also signals loyalty to someone who has been part of the system. For Bell, it’s an opportunity to finish what he started and etch his name into the team’s history on the field rather than from the sidelines. In preparing to defend their Super Bowl title, such targeted acquisitions — based on familiarity and proven performance — can be as important as headline-grabbing free-agent signings.
