SF’s DNA Lounge Lawyers Up Against Copycat DC Venue
A new DNA Lounge is opening in Washington D.C., but the one — and hopefully only — DNA Lounge, right here in San Francisco, is pissed.
Thanks to SFGate and Eater for spilling the tea about the drama unfolding over the name.
When word got out about the copycat venue on U Street in D.C., the original DNA Lounge sent a cease-and-desist letter for using their trademarked name.
It appears the letter was sent to the wrong recipient though, causing a little bit of strife between the business owners.
You see, D.C.’s not-yet-opened DNA Lounge is taking over space from Solly’s Tavern, a popular bar which is downsizing its and splitting up the space to make room for the new nightclub.
Unfortunately, SF’s DNA Lounge’s lawyers incorrectly sent the cease-and-desist letter to Solly’s Tavern’s owner, John Solomon, and his landlord.
Solomon spoke to Eater, noting, “The thing that pissed me off about it is … their first response in the middle of a pandemic is to lawyer up, and they’re lawyering up against the wrong person. The landlord and myself are the only two on it. [DNA] has nothing to do with [our] business.”
Eater got in touch with the actual owner of the DC’s DNA Lounge who claimed registering for the same business name in another state is fair game.
However, our sassy DNA Lounge, who’s been business for over 35 years, thinks otherwise, calling them out on Twitter.
There is only one DNA Lounge, and it has been in San Francisco since 1985.
Whoever these ankle-biters trying to trade on our name are, they can fuck all the way off.
— DNA Lounge (@dnalounge) December 17, 2020
As Jamie Zawinski, San Francisco’s DNA Lounge owner, told Eater SF, “we own the trademark on ‘DNA Lounge’, so it’s pretty cut and dried. That should be the end of it right there. They have no legal right to use our name.” We’ll see how this unfolds.
Read more at Eater DC and EaterSF.
See the the D.C.’s venue logo below.
View this post on Instagram
