‘Dumb’ Starbucks Challenges Trademark

Coffee drinkers lined up for hours in L.A. this weekend at ‘Dumb’ Starbucks, a parody coffee shop that looks like the world-wide caffeine retailer, except for the word ‘Dumb’ added before the name and every item on the menu. The store posted an FAQ sheet inside explaining they were using the Starbucks name and logo for marketing purposes, and that “by adding the word ‘dumb’ we are technically ‘making fun’ of Starbucks, which allows us to use their trademarks under a law known as ‘fair use.’” The point appears to be a trademark challenge, as the shop gave coffee away for free. Starbucks has said it is aware of the store, and one of the only four tweets that @dumbstarbucks has sent out is a retweet urging L.A. residents to get to the store “before dumb lawyers get to it.”

Update [Feb. 13]: The store has been revealed to be the work of comedian Nathan Fielder, whose show “Nathan For You” finds humorous methods to help businesses succeed. In a segment on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Fielder said the health department – rather than Starbucks – led to the location being shut down, as the store had not secured a health permit to serve coffee, and was not persuaded that the coffee itself was actually “art.”