bar name ownership

[VCruz]

I am taking over an established bar that has been open since 1956. It has had the same name all those years and thru all the different owners. The person who is leasing the bar now has had it for about two years. She doesn't own the building. She has told me that I cannot use the name of the bar because she owns the name. My question is can a person have ownership of the name of a bar such as a copyrite or trademark. If so is it common for people to do that? This is a small bar (50 person) capacity with a somewhat common name. It seems to me that there would be 100's if not 1000's of bars accross the nation with this same name.

[BARTENDER 54]

V,
In Nebr. yes you can contact the Attorney General and have the copyrights on the name.
I would check just to make sure she not feeding you full of it. But my question is WHY you want to keep THAT name in the first place.

Why is she selling after only two years into it??? Is business is not that good?
What's the rep like?? What I'm trying to get at is if there is a negative connotation to the name then for Gods sake let her keep it.

This is exactly the thing I was going to tell Havensloft, If the place (or the business) was in the shitter to begin with, that means people are going to think thing are the same ol', same ol'.( ya know..a place to go pee) New FACE, new ATMOSPHERE, new NAME and NEW DIRECTION.

BARB....ARE YA LISTENING ????? !!!!!!!

The place I bought 12 years ago had been called the same thing for some 35 years, the last 2 owners ran the place in the ground. It would have taken a small miracle to bring that business name back from the grave....IT'S TIME TO START ANEW !!!!!!! The new sign out front cost me 3500 bucks and I can guarantee it's the absolute best 3500 bucks I ever spent...well there was that weekend down in TJ...but that's another story.

New FACE, new ATMOSPHERE, new NAME and NEW DIRECTION and hopefully a whole lot of NEW PATRONS. Tell her she can keep the damn name if it means that much to her, tell her it sounded kinda gay anyway... Not to say there is anything wrong with being gay...I'm just saying.

Anyway, shit can the old, bring in the new and kick ass.

I've got a buddy who owned a bar in Omaha, he had the named copyrighted quite a few years ago, that way if he ever sold, if the new owner wanted to keep the name he could "rent" it. Personally, I think he was being a prick, but it did keep anybody else in Nebr. from using the name.

Now if you wanted to add a little something to the name, like...if it was called "Bob's"...you could make it "Bob's Place" or "Bob's too" or whatever.
and when you answer the phone it's still Bob's....Anyway, that's life in the "Good Life" (I do believe that has a copyright on that too).
Good luck
Rick

[Havensloft]

I read this post Rick. I have to agree with you and that is what I am going to do as soon as I think of a good name. V you sound like you are in the same situation as I as far as seating capacity, renting, etc. Keep us informed. Thanks Rick.
Barbara

[VCruz]

Bartender54 your advice definitely gives me a different perspective on the situation. I have my lawyer looking into my options but I might end up changing the name anyway. The place isnt run down. The owner is trying to run the bar which is in Kansas and she lives in Colorado. Ive been watching the place for two years so it just kind of fell in my lap. By the way 3500 dollars must have gone a long ways in TJ.