First post, new member. Question about shop names/branding

[blizdas]

Hi All,
My wife and I are opening up a cafe within a local eatery this winter, with an eye towards having our own branded roasting operation up and running in the spring. I have a question about coffee shop/brand names. We came up with a solid shop name/brand and I'm dismayed to see it being used by another cafe after doing an online search. It seems to me that with all the tiny coffee shops in North America, there might not be any good brand names left!
Every idea we've had seems to already be in use somewhere. We are in Wisconsin and aim to serve a pretty small market. The other shop is in NC and has 3 cafe locations. With our markets so localized and so far apart, does it make any sense for us to run with the name we want, even if it's in use in a distant market? Just trying to get a sense of what the collective wisdom/experience is with such things and maybe some advice on how to proceed. Not expecting expert legal advice.
Thanks in advance.
Ben Lizdas
Mt Horeb, WI

 

[blizdas]

can you tell us the name/brand?

Absolutely: Drift.

 

[PinkRose]

okay. okay. I have seen your +1 for a while. is that mean "good"? or " agree"? at least let us know your +1 meaning?

I was wondering the same thing. Sometimes I see the +1 . . . and below it is a tiny box with an X and no photo in it.

I've been thinking that it's a different way of giving the post a thumbs up.

 

[Duffyjr]

It basically means, in this case, he wants to know to or is agreeing that it is the response he wouldn't of given if you didn't. So say I come along and agree with you both I would add +2.

 

[Duffyjr]

darn! things some young people come up with.....
+50 years old people : better to stick to old school ways.

+1

I'm also not sure how he is getting away with posting just two characters, it tells me I have to have at least 10.

 

[PinkRose]

Hi All,
My wife and I are opening up a cafe within a local eatery this winter, with an eye towards having our own branded roasting operation up and running in the spring. I have a question about coffee shop/brand names. We came up with a solid shop name/brand and I'm dismayed to see it being used by another cafe after doing an online search. It seems to me that with all the tiny coffee shops in North America, there might not be any good brand names left!
Every idea we've had seems to already be in use somewhere. We are in Wisconsin and aim to serve a pretty small market. The other shop is in NC and has 3 cafe locations. With our markets so localized and so far apart, does it make any sense for us to run with the name we want, even if it's in use in a distant market? Just trying to get a sense of what the collective wisdom/experience is with such things and maybe some advice on how to proceed. Not expecting expert legal advice.
Thanks in advance.
Ben Lizdas
Mt Horeb, WI

I think it's safe to say that most people in Wisconsin won't know that there's another coffee shop in North Carolina (with three locations) that has the same name as yours. The only problem I can see with using the same name is if you eventually decide to sell your roasted beans on-line. If the other place is already doing it, it would cause a bit of confusion with people trying to place an on-line order with you.

 

[PinkRose]

besides that I am kind of getting tired of seeing +1

A Google search says:

The Internet term "+1" usually means "me too." Used as a response on a threaded discussion when the new poster wanted the same information as the previous poster.

1.) +1 is a post in a forum/message board that indicates the person agrees with a previous or quoted reply to a thread.

2.) +1 is shorthand for "My thoughts exactly" or "me too".


You learn something new every day. :wink: