What About Renaming It Cafe Caffeine?

This poor place has one identity crisis after another.

Last winter, the caffeine-pushers at Java City were bouncing off the walls fielding a flood of calls meant for the Toys for Tots hot line.

So similar were the telephone numbers that java jockeys spent more time taking requests for Holiday Barbies than orders for double mochas.

Now comes a grinch from California who says the tiny Spokane espresso and sandwich joint can keep its telephone number.

It’s the Java City business name that must go.

Can’t a guy peddle a cuppa coffee in peace? Apparently not, says a beleaguered Maury Nollette, co-owner of the corner shop at S. 18 Monroe.

Rather than pay a lawyer, Nollette, 27, is offering free lattes to anyone who can dream up a new, less-litigious name. Read on for important details.

Nollette says a representative of Sacramento-based Java City warned him that two similarly named coffee businesses is definite grounds for a lawsuit.

“I could see it if this company were to expand to Eastern Washington or the Spokane area,” he says. “But what threat is a little place like mine to them?”

The threat capped a memorable week at the Spokane Java City.

On Monday, Maury’s new air conditioner broke. On Tuesday, an employee using the meat slicer cut off part of a finger. On Wednesday came the call from California.

Thank God the Fourth of July arrived so Nollette could close for a few days to get rid of the bad karma.

Running a business is no hayride to riches, agrees Nollette, wincing. “Being your own boss gives you freedom, but the responsibilities never end.”

Never mind that this 240-square-foot enterprise is technically the “Java City Espresso Company.”

That’s still too close for the other Java City, which opened in the early 1980s and has cloned to 50 locations in the Sacramento area.

“Nobody else can use the name,” says Debbie Ross of that company’s sales department. “We have a patent.”

Nollette began his business 2-1/2 years ago, completely unaware of a California namesake. He paid a fee to legally file the Java City name in Washington.

But even big-shot entrepreneurs discover that a state license offers little protection against firms with nationally registered trademarks.

Cyrus Vaughn, perhaps Spokane’s most successful restaurateur, recently changed the name of his two Tomato Bros. restaurants to Tomato Street.

It happened after Vaughn decided to franchise his Italian restaurants to 16 states. The plan hit a snag when he discovered an East Coast eatery had registered “Home of the flying Tomato Brothers,” in its caption.

“It set him back a couple of months,” explains Don Torbenson, general manager of Vaughn’s popular Cyrus O’Leary’s restaurant.

Torbenson says the identity switch on the two major restaurants was “extremely expensive.” Even so, it’s usually far cheaper to pay for change than a court battle.

Nollette figures he’ll have to pony up 1,000 bucks for new signs, menus, business cards, fees, etc.

So why not do it with some good humor? Nollette is asking the espresso-guzzling public for inspiration.

Fearing a lawsuit from Steven Spielberg, he didn’t think much of my suggestion - “Jurassic Perk.”

But whoever comes up with the right name will get their picture hung on the wall plus a free latte a week for one year.

The winner, he says, will be picked by a committee of caffeine addicts by Aug. 1. Sooner if Johnny Cochrane shows up at his door.

Java City new name nominations can be made by calling me at (509) 459-5432. Leave your own name and telephone number along with java joint suggestions should you get my Voice Mail.

Or drop off your nomination at Java City.

Watch out for the meat slicer.

, DataTimes