Gathering Place, Shawnee coffee shop settle dispute over use of name
The Gathering Place and a Shawnee coffee shop with the same name struck a deal Monday evening that will allow the tiny business to keep its current brand.
According to a statement sent to the Tulsa World, Bayly Coffee, LLC and Tulsa’s Gathering Place, LLC “announce they have reached a mutually acceptable agreement pursuant to which Bayly will licence the use of the GATHERING PLACE trademarks from Tulsa’s Gathering Place in an effort to both protect trademark rights and defray litigation costs.”
The parties will have no further comment on the matter, according to the statement, and will not respond to any media demands for comment.
The news comes just two weeks after the park launched a lawsuit against the coffee shop, alleging that it “wrongfully” marketed and utilised the park’s trademarked name in its business methods.
The Gathering Place Coffee Co. “advertises event spaces, coffee shop services, and other services that are clearly intended to evoke the services offered by The Gathering Place,” according to the lawsuit, which was filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma by Tulsa’s Gathering Place LLC.
The coffee shop’s owners have denied attempting to profit off the park’s trademarked name.
“This isn’t even close to the truth. The Hiltons and Ingrams stated on Facebook after the lawsuit was filed, “We, the Hiltons and Ingrams, love our community and our town so passionately.” “It has always been our goal to deliver high-quality, one-of-a-kind coffee beverages and baked goodies, as well as a warm and friendly environment for you and your family to enjoy.”
In the case, Bayly Coffee LLC is designated as a defendant, and Jesse Ingram is listed as the company’s registered agent.
The name was an acronym of the coffee shop’s mission statement and a summary of the proprietors’ aims in launching the business, according to the website.
