Why The Seattle Space Needle And A Coffee Company Are Going Head To Head
In what amounts to an interesting clash, the well known Seattle Space Needle is going head to head with a little coffee shop.
If you think of Seattle architecture, the image of the Space Needle comes instantly to mind. Its tall, slender structure pokes out of the Seattle skyline, making it a noticeable and iconic building in the city. Now, the private owner of the building is suing a small, local coffee shop based on trademark infringement. The owner stated that the coffee shop’s logo looks too similar to that of the Space Needle’s trademarked silhouette.
The Seattle coffee shop, Local Coffee Spot, got hit with a lawsuit in early May 2022. To the shop’s surprise, its logo imprinted on coffee cups was the issue the Space Needle’s private owner was upset about. The logo showcases a cup of coffee with a plume of steam rising from the cup, abstractly resembling the iconic tower. To say it looks exactly like the Space Needle is a reach, but the team of executives that work for the building states that any resemblance of the structure could lead to a lawsuit.
The Space Needle is a trademarked monument, similar to the Eiffel Tower. If those associated with the building and its private owner believe a company has used it without permission, a lawsuit could ensue. Unfortunately for Local Coffe Spot, its abstract design has led to a suit being filed, but the Space Needle executives aren’t looking for financial compensation. Karen Olson, the Chief Operating Officer for the Space Needle, stated that they’re not trying to “negatively impact a business.” They intend to work with the company to redesign its logo instead of receiving monetary compensation.
To many, a lawsuit doesn’t come across as a friendly gesture of collaboration. But Olson disagrees, reiterating that she is “obligated to contact the organization” misusing the Space Needle silhouette. Then, her team offers to help restructure their logo. The official Space Needle website has a section for correct trademark use, where certain Seattle companies are displayed with their previous illicit logos alongside their current, legal ones. Most of the changes involve adding the skyline so that the Space Needle isn’t the only figure in the company’s design.
Though Olsen stated that her team has been reaching out to Local Coffee Spot for over a year without any response, the café owner said the exact opposite. Owner Beau McKeon reached out to the Space Needle team after they insisted on helping with the Local Coffee Spot redesign, but that email came with no response. McKeon released emails dated last July, showing how long this discussion has dragged on. Nearly a year later, attorneys have gotten involved due to the landmark’s newly issued lawsuit against the local café.
Local Coffe Spot’s owner and fellow employees are frustrated at the outcome and the power dynamic between them and Seattle’s most prominent structure. McKeon stated they felt “very victimized as the small guys” after being slapped with a lawsuit by the Space Needle. The café isn’t racking in millions of dollars from using the Space Needle logo, so paying for attorneys has put a massive financial burden on the local company. Though the structure is trademarked, going after a small café’s design that bears little resemblance to the Seattle landmark isn’t the most sensible endeavor.
