Summary: This article is about a coffee shop coming under hot water after making a mockery of Starbucks. The coffee shop was shut down due to no permits (health permits) and placing the word “DUMB” in front of Starbucks making it “Dumb Starbucks.” Officials suggest that the coffee shop was mimicking Starbucks because of the similar appearance, smell, and logo. However, the coffee shop denied this only saying it is merely just art…..
I am going to assume that this business was private owned due to the fact that the owners took free will to deem the business as something other than what it actually was. In terms it is indeed a coffee shop but the owners considered it to be an art gallery, and operated it as such. Also, if it were not a private owned business it would have been shut down over falsification/ misleading customers under the premises of appearing one way, but operating in another. This is what I call false advertisement, however, there is no mention that the coffee shop was federally owned, and in PDAM class we discussed how private owned businesses are not under strict guidelines like federally owned businesses. I could see if the coffee shop was being sued by Star Bucks for slander, however, they simply closed the coffee shop down. It was mention that the coffee shop justified it’s action under the parody law, and there are many laws to protect businesses from issues ranging in many subjects. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/health-department-isn-t-laughing-151400022.html?soc_src=copy
Companies slander each other all the time on commercial’s so why not off camera. The coffee shop was doing a public service by serving the community and also making their coffee affordable. Although in PDAM class we discussed how not all businesses have the same guidelines, however, all businesses have guidelines they have to follow. The fact that the coffee shop did not have permits was only a lack of certification as apart of operating a business. Of course businesses are required to have permits for a reason, but does every business really operate the way that it should?……Also I could see if the coffee shop had an issue such as poor health department scores but this was not the case. It was because of slander and permits, and they could’ve been given a deadline to remove the slander and get the permits. I want know did customers ever know or question if they had permits or not, and the fact that they did not have a health permit indicates they did not have a health score possibly, or if they did it was a poor score. The fact that they did not have health permits did not stop customers from buying coffee there. I guess the coffee shop opposes the idea that expensive brand does not mean better quality, but there can be a similar brand more affordable with just as great quality.