Mama Kat Thursday: The Great Square Donut Battle

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The Mama Kat topic for today is, "Share a local news story that's a buzz in your neck of the woods," but my buzzy news story actually comes from Terre Haute, where I enjoyed reading about it in the morning newspaper most days we were there visiting my Mom & sister recently.
I call it, "The Great Square Donut Battle!"

There's an iconic local family business  in Terre Haute, Indiana called, "Square Donuts of Terre Haute."
It was established in 1967. Eventually, the family opened a few other locations and everything was smooth-sailing until 2005, when a Convenience Store chain based out of Valparaiso, Indiana randomly decided to start selling their own version of square donuts they labeled as,"Square Donuts."
Now this Convenience Store chain, like most convenience chains, sells lots and lots of other products besides donuts. Donuts are not their specialty, but for the Terre Haute business, donuts is what they do and they've been famous for them for 49 years!

The two, of course, promptly became locked in legal contention over use of the name "Square Donuts," and have remained so since 2006. 

According to what I read in the paper, the Terre Haute Square Donut business basically feels they have first dibs. They've been around longer and their square donuts are what they're famous for throughout Indiana. So much so, Hoosiers tend to assume any square donut must be made by Square Donuts of Terre Haute, therefore it's misleading to the public for someone else to also be selling "square donuts."
Not to mention the name "Square Donuts of Terre Haute" is trademark registered at both State and Federal levels.

The Convenience chain, on the other hand, feels they ought to be able to simply share use of the name. No harm, no foul.

And so, the matter is yet unsettled, raging on, waiting for a final decision of some Court, like pinball bouncing around the machine until it falls down a hole.
And since I'm back in Florida, I don't have the fun of reading about it everyday.
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What's the buzz in the news where you live?

Thanks for Visiting!

Comments

Emily Cullen, http://www.mamasick.com said…
I'm on the bakery's side! I love reading about local news like that, and today I learned about square donuts!
Apr 22, 2016, 2:32:00 PM
Anonymous said…
Who would've thunk. Square donuts locked in a 10 year battle. Sounds like they should win. Your picture makes them look delish! Poppin over from mamakat #17
Apr 23, 2016, 7:26:00 AM
KatBouska said…
Oooh this is serious stuff happening in Indiana! To be honest, I do think the bakery is right. They should retain rights to The Square Donut and the convenience store needs to back off. I hope they rights on their idea. I'd hate to see so many years of work get stolen out from under them!
Apr 25, 2016, 5:18:00 PM

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