By any measure, Tyla Simone Crayton’s journey should be the quintessential American success story. It began at 14 with a vision in a home kitchen, followed by a viral “Shark Tank” appearance, and culminated in the opening of Sienna Wings.
But today, the 22-year-old entrepreneur is not focused on scaling her brand. She is focused on survival.
At the center of her struggle is a trademark dispute with Johnson Development, the developer behind the Sienna master-planned community in Missouri City. The standoff has left her restaurant operating in the dark – literally.
The invisible storefront
Drivers traveling down Sienna Parkway can easily miss the brick-and-mortar location. It is not for a lack of customers, but a lack of signage.
“We have thousands of customers that drive by… and they don’t know we’re here,” Crayton said.
The reason? There is no signage indicating that the restaurant even exists.
“People drive up… and now they’re like, ‘I don’t see a sign… is this a real business?’”
Tyla Simone Crayton
The Sienna Property Owners Association (SPOA) has denied Crayton’s request for exterior signage. In order to approve signage, the association said Crayton must sign a trademark coexistence agreement with the developer, meaning she must get their input whenever she uses the Sienna name. Without that signature, the restaurant remains hidden in plain sight.
For a small business, invisibility comes at a steep price tag.
“We’re not getting those casual customers,” Crayton said. “They can’t even have the thought, ‘Let me stop and get wings,’ because it’s not even an option to them.”
The price of permission
The dispute hinges on the name “Sienna.” While Johnson Development maintains it is protecting its intellectual property, Crayton argues the proposed agreement reaches far beyond branding.
According to Crayton, the terms would grant the developer oversight into core business decisions, including future expansions, branding changes, and the potential sale of the company.
“They could come in and ask for specimens of the product,” Crayton said. “If we wanted to sell or exit the company, we had to get their permission.”
Johnson Development did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
For Crayton, who has already secured her own federal trademarks, the level of control feels like a surrender of the autonomy she worked nearly a decade to build.
“It’s an overbearing amount of control that we’re just not comfortable with,” she said. “And once we sign that document, we’re tied to it… even after we leave Sienna. We don’t need y’all still being attached to our business in that way.”
Ownership and autonomy
The conflict touches on a sensitive nerve for Black entrepreneurs: The right to total ownership. Crayton has navigated the highs of national fame and the lows of rebuilding after closures and relocations.
“We’ve had days when we’ve only had three customers,” she admitted, noting the weight of responsibility for her staff. “You still have employees that have families… bills that are due. It’s never you getting the bag. The bag comes to you last.”
Legal experts suggest the developer’s demands may cross a line. Aman Gebru, a law professor at the University of Houston who reviewed the agreement, noted that trademark law is intended to prevent consumer confusion, not to dictate a company’s global trajectory.
“The provision… that includes any location in the world seems expansive,” Gebru said.
A community rallies
While the legal battle continues, the public has taken notice, and many customers have responded with their wallets. Community organizations and members have banded together to support the facility.
“We gathered our sorority sisters of Chi Omicron Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, to come out and show our support. The more we support them, the more we support the community,” said Deyen Greene.
Added Sharon Bibbs, “We wanted to support Black-owned businesses and to make sure they know that we’re here and make sure they know that we’re here. When they have a struggle in the community, we have a struggle in the community. So we want to make sure they know we’re here to support them 110.”
A petition supporting Sienna Wings has been signed by thousands.
“We’ve tripled what we usually would make in a week since the media coverage has started,” Crayton said.
However, Crayton knows that a temporary surge in “support” business is not a substitute for the structural legitimacy a permanent sign provides.
“People drive up… and now they’re like, ‘I don’t see a sign… is this a real business?’”
The David vs. Goliath reality
Crayton’s fight mirrors a larger conversation about gatekeeping in business. She maintains she is not seeking special treatment, only the freedom to operate without strings that could tether her future growth to a third party.
“There are a lot of things I’d do differently,” she admitted. “Because this situation has soured what was such a beautiful thing for me.”
As she balances the pressures of leadership and the visibility of a public legal fight, Crayton remains steadfast. For her, the “Sienna” in her name is a destination she reached through grit, and she isn’t ready to let anyone else hold the map.
“One thing for sure,” she said, “the fight is far from over.”
