Talk about a modern day David vs Goliath story. The Liberal magazine “Rolling Stone” has its sights set on this small Lehigh Acres restaurant and bar that opened in August 2013. And it’s all over the name!
The magazine sent the owner of the Rolling Stone Libation Company, Bruce Keisling, a cease and desist letter to change its name.
“I kind of felt like a little kid being bullied on the playground,” said Keisling.
But now Keisling has until this Friday Feb 21 to change the name and apologize to the “Rolling Stone” magazine or face a lawsuit for trademark infringement, unfair competition and even cybersquatting.
“Rolling Stones” lawsuit says in part, “such blatant copying constitutes clear infringement and dilution of our registered trademark.”
The Lehigh Acres Gazette staff has tried numerous times to reach out to the Rolling Stone magazines management and their attorneys and no one will return a phone call or email.
“It’s sad that a big corporation would try to stomp on a little guy’s dreams like this,” said Keisling.
Rolling Stone Magazine claims Bruce Keisling purposely chose the name to ride the bandwagon of its decades of success. Keisling says he did no such thing.
According to The Rolling stone Libation Company’s Facebook page; “Someone” HACKED into The Rolling Stone Libation Company’s Facebook page and deleted many of our posts from October & November 2013. Therefore, we will be reposting some of them. Sorry for any redundancies. NOT COOL MAN…NOT COOL. What are you afraid of?
“It’s the old adage; a rolling stone gathers no moss. The rolling stone, you stay creative, you stay fresh, and that’s what we are,” said Keisling.
“Maybe it’s time to have a Rolling Stone magazine burning party”, said as a joke by Keisling
“This is my dream, this is my name, they’ll have to pry it away from my cold dead hands,” said Keisling.
Like a Rolling Stone is a common saying and rolling stone is a common phrase. Cannot be copyrighted. Rolling Stone Magazines name can be copywrited as a whole not just Rolling Stone. Suck it up big boys. This is the Rolling Stone Libation company. I do not see any infingment here. You should be paying them for the advertising.
I agree with Richard.