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Trader Joe’s sues New York wine store
Trader Joe’s is taking new Manhattan wine shop Joe’s Wines Co. to court, suggesting that it is trying to “ape” the US grocery store chain.
As reported by Gothamist, Trader Joe’s, which has almost 600 locations across the US, including 34 in New York state, is taking on the newly-opened Joe’s Wine Co. over its branding.
The wine store on 113 3rd Ave. is close to the location of the now closed Trader Joe’s Wine Shop, which closed in summer 2022 after its workers attempted to unionise.
Joes’ Wine Co. purchased the assets for Taste Wine Co., which closed on 50 3rd Ave. in 2020, before requesting to move them to 113 3rd Ave. last year – however, it chose not to use to the Taste Wine Co. name.
According to an anonymous local cited in Upper East Side media outlet Our Town, there was some confusion as to whether or not Joe’s Wine Co. was part of the Trader Joe’s brand: “I thought they were just splitting it up from previous location and moving it over here. I mean, it looks the same, really with the fonts and the colours, plus it was pretty inexpensive.”
There were apparently attempts to settle the matter outside of court prior to the lawsuit.
The lawyers for Trader Joe’s claim that Joe’s Wine Co. is imitating several aspects of the grocery store chain, including its design, with the lawyers saying that the store has attempted to “ape the look of a Trader Joe’s store”, and its name. Defending attorney Alfred Zaher pointed out that many establishments in New York, including plenty of pizzerias, use ‘Joe’ in their names, and argued that, in the case of Joe’s Wine Co., it is a family name.
“It just doesn’t make sense that we among hundreds would be picked out as being a little confusing when there are so many pre-existing uses of Joe,” said Zaher.
With regards to the issue of Joe’s Wine Co.’s look, apparently the use of the colour red was only for promotional purposes and not a permanent piece of the decor, though the choice of wood panelling, also a cause of consternation for Trader Joe’s, remained.
Trader Joe’s is reportedly seeking to have the new wine store change its name, and significant damages.
“It’s hard enough to open a small business in New York City these days without the constant intimidation and threat of litigation we are receiving from Trader Joe’s,” a Joe’s Wine Co. spokesperson said in a statement sent to Gothamist. “We are the hard working people here, real New Yorkers, trying to do something to honour our winemaking heritage and benefit this community by offering affordable and quality wine and spirits.”
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