Kevin Hart’s vegan fast food chain, Hart House, has abruptly shut down all four of its California locations after just two years in business. Despite initial success and expansion plans, the combination of niche market appeal, California’s rising minimum wage to $20 an hour, and high operational costs likely led to the closures. Vegan restaurants often face narrow margins, and in an already tough state for business, these factors proved fatal for Hart's venture. California’s leftist-driven wage hikes have been heavily criticized by conservatives, and Hart’s restaurant appears to be another casualty of this economic environment. The closure is emblematic of broader issues in California, where high costs, overregulation, and unsustainable wage increases are driving small businesses out. Kevin Hart may have learned the hard way that celebrity status doesn’t guarantee success in the restaurant industry, especially with a vegan concept in a high-cost state like California.