We've covered our fair share of cupcake lawsuits, but let me tell you: I'd much rather be blogging about cupcake flavors and colors and bakery openings than lawsuits. Still, anything related to cupcakes is not only fair game for us, but I feel, relevant to our readers.
So here's an excerpt from the Las Vegas Sun, from an article entitled "Cupcakery alleges former worker stole business secrets:"
The Las Vegas area's trendy and fast-growing Cupcakery business is suing a California cupcake entrepreneur, charging she stole trade secrets and infringed on trademarks when she opened two gourmet cupcake shops there.
The Cupcakery was launched by Pamela Jenkins in 2005 and now has shops in the Silverado area on Eastern Avenue, in northwest Las Vegas on Lake Mead Boulevard and in Frisco, Texas; with a fourth planned for Dallas.
The popularity of the concept has expanded with numerous upscale cupcake shops, including two called Sift: A Cupcakery in Napa and Cotati, Calif., owned by Andrea Ballus.
In an April 2008 press release, Ballus said she's a master cupcake baker and related why she, her husband Jeff and her mother started the business in California.
"The idea for Sift occurred to me when we were planning our Sonoma County wedding in Sonoma last year," she said in the release. "We wanted to serve cupcakes, but all we could find were ones that tasted like plastic cupcakes, or were too dry, or really boring. Let's face it, Sonoma County has tons of great wine, but it is severely lacking in the cupcake department."
So here's an excerpt from the Las Vegas Sun, from an article entitled "Cupcakery alleges former worker stole business secrets:"
The Las Vegas area's trendy and fast-growing Cupcakery business is suing a California cupcake entrepreneur, charging she stole trade secrets and infringed on trademarks when she opened two gourmet cupcake shops there.
The Cupcakery was launched by Pamela Jenkins in 2005 and now has shops in the Silverado area on Eastern Avenue, in northwest Las Vegas on Lake Mead Boulevard and in Frisco, Texas; with a fourth planned for Dallas.
The popularity of the concept has expanded with numerous upscale cupcake shops, including two called Sift: A Cupcakery in Napa and Cotati, Calif., owned by Andrea Ballus.
In an April 2008 press release, Ballus said she's a master cupcake baker and related why she, her husband Jeff and her mother started the business in California.
"The idea for Sift occurred to me when we were planning our Sonoma County wedding in Sonoma last year," she said in the release. "We wanted to serve cupcakes, but all we could find were ones that tasted like plastic cupcakes, or were too dry, or really boring. Let's face it, Sonoma County has tons of great wine, but it is severely lacking in the cupcake department."
Comments
Considering that the shops are being operated in different states and cities I think this sound fairly petty!
Now, were they in the same town, or even the same county, maybe there could be some confusion over whether the stores are related.
I think people will find any reason to sue someone, and it's getting ridiculous.
I have visited Sift and it is a great little cupcake shop.
I wrote a review of my visit here:
http://www.baking911.com/asksarahbb/index.php?automodule=blog&blogid=1&showentry=45
Rock on, Sift!!
The Cupcakery Sues Former Employee for Trademark Infringement
http://www.vegastrademarkattorney.com/2009/05/cupcakery-sues-former-employee-for.html