Bar Gets Cease-And-Desist Order From Starbucks, Responds With Hilarious Letter And $6 Check

I thought this was so clever and figured ATSrs would appreciate it. Small biz goes back at Starbucks big biz threat in a sarcastic and humorous way. They also sent them a check for $6.00 - the profit they made on their version of frappicino.

Starbucks is known for aggressively going after small businesses that appear to infringe on its trademark rights. So it was no surprise that a tiny brewpub in Missouri got a cease-and-desist letter from the coffee chain after it started selling a beer called "Frappicino."

The bar's response to Starbucks -



I especially love how he referred to Mr. Bucks.

finance.yahoo.com...

I am gonna sue ATS and the Above Network $5.95 to replace my now soiled underwear... but we can round that up to $6 for poetic justice... fess it up Springer

reply to post by Maluhia


Great witty letter!

Starsmucks is aweful anyhow.... You go MochaMoose!!

S&F

Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

2nd!

Flagged..

why?

because SB's is / has been pushing this type of business model for years now. I read an article back a year ago or so that one such coffee shop was using SB's coffee and due to the high amount of traffic at the shop, built a Starbucks ...right..next..door.

free enterprise.. of course!

But, they're failing to see is, this type of business practice will reap exactly what it's sowing..

I had no idea the word frappuccino was owned by Starbucks. Their coffees are weak and over priced so I go to a local chain for mine. I bet F-word beer could be a big hit if they could get a similar product (frosty beer I imagine).

reply to post by Komodo

But, they're failing to see is, this type of business practice will reap exactly what it's sowing..

One can only hope. Too many people still not paying enough attention though and not willing to give up their "frappucinos". Put it in quotes so I don't get a letter!

Maluhia
reply to post by Komodo

 

But, they're failing to see is, this type of business practice will reap exactly what it's sowing..

One can only hope. Too many people still not paying enough attention though and not willing to give up their "frappucinos". Put it in quotes so I don't get a letter!

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Recent update from Britton, the bar owner -

Britton said in a telephone interview Tuesday that he brewed up a new batch of "The F Word" last Friday. By then, the dispute was already drawing attention on social media, and the beer sold out in three hours.

He's contemplating making more, based on the calls, emails and Facebook messages of support he said he's received from around the world.

"It's been unbelievable," Britton said. "People are just saying, 'Hey, read the story, good job.' I'm getting emails and Facebook messages from Germany, China, England. People are just clamoring for it."

ipad.aol.com...

reply to post by Maluhia


He should just call it "The F Word" and sell it like that with the history of Starbucks suing them. I'd buy the beer in a heartbeat and I don't drink!

Also, I'm ashamed to say I used to love Starbucks. Thankfully, I no longer give them my patronage.

How can a thread about frappuccinos go without this:

reply to post by dainoyfb


Haha...that's awesome! Haven't seen it, but perfect addition to the thread!

NICE!

Those big businesses are like sharks in the water when "chum" is thrown overboard when it comes to stuff like this. The responding letter was ridiculously funny, clever, and got the point across in the best possible way they could have given the circumstances. Filing paperwork for it in the first place (from Starbucks) was just ridiculously ridiculous (there is a difference, trust me). They smell an extra penny lost like a crack addict smells his/her next fix. Bloodhounds that can't see the forest for the trees so to speak. They spend way more money stomping on small folks than if they just let it go.

You'll never get them to understand that though. One would almost think it's more about the "control" than the perceived losses.

I like the folks who sent the $6. If they were near me, I would go give them some profit just for the laugh.

reply to post by Maluhia


I'll have an F-word on tap. please.

I think they should stick with this name for the new beer. It already has the media and social network attention by that name.

I don't even drink beer. But, I'd buy a round for the house of F-word beer, just to stick it to Starbucks.

Des

On a trip out to Mountain View, CA last year I noticed a beer listed on the chalk board of a local bar named "Arrogant Bastard". Perhaps someone should send Starbucks management and their retained lawyers a crate as a peace offering!

[snip]

Here's something interesting I found out about this famous logo - although it pains me to post it I think it important for comparison

The woman in their green label with the perky breasts and weird twin-fishtail deal going on is a siren from Greek mythology.

According to the Starbucks blog, she was chosen as the logo because Starbucks was looking for a nautical theme to capture the spirit of Seattle. Remember that this was back in 1971, when Seattle was known for sailing and seaports instead of grunge rock, rain and hipsters.

In mythology, sirens are seen as a personification of the ocean -- and that's not a good thing. They're brutal sociopaths who murder you by being attractive. According to scholars, they would sing an "irresistibly sweet" song that "lapped both body and soul into a fatal lethargy."

Much in the same way that countless people have been seduced by the lure of overpriced coffee, buying cup after cup until they finally succumb, buying an Apple laptop and spending the rest of their lives at one of those tiny tables, joining the other broken victims.

Text

Shame mythological symbolism can't be trademarked......Greece could have sued Starbucks and could have had a way to get some of that national debt sorted out.

reply to post by Maluhia

Screw Starsucks.

I make a conscious effort to avoid that place. Was so happy when they had to close hundreds of their overpriced crap holes.

Maluhia
reply to post by Komodo

 

But, they're failing to see is, this type of business practice will reap exactly what it's sowing..

One can only hope. Too many people still not paying enough attention though and not willing to give up their "frappucinos". Put it in quotes so I don't get a letter!

What the hell is it with you Yanks and take away coffee?

Don't you know you can make coffee at home, yourselves...for a teeny-tiny fraction of what certain huge multi-national corporations can mass flog the stuff to you all for?

You could even buy in look-alike paper cups to put your own coffee in if it's the packaging that does it for ya and still only pay a year what you hand over to those clowns in a month.

Make your bloody own coffee and watch Mr and Ms Bucks...buck off.

reply to post by taketheredpill


Fascinating stuff...looks like they picked the right logo after all!