Colony in Martha Stewart Trademark Village Feud

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. —  The dispute betwixt Martha Stewart and some of her neighbors over her bid to brand the name of their small town has been single-minded with a via media: Katonah furniture, OK; Katonah paint, no way.

Stewart's companionship, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc., has held to seek a "Katonah" trademark only for piece of furniture, mirrors, pillows and chair cushions. Those opponent the trademark have held not to dispute that application.

Stewart's Katonah piece of furniture line is already for cut-rate sale but not so far trademarked.

Stewart in agreement to drop trademark practical applications for additional merchandises, "such as ironware, paint, lighting and home fabrics," according to a argument issued by Stewart's companionship, the Katonah Village Improvement Society and two Katonah stores.

Some occupants of the tony crossroads in Westchester County, where Stewart has a 153-acre land, objected to her exploitation the name Katonah for commercial purposes and dreaded the trademark would harm existent businesses. Some American Indians had got also objected, because the small town, 40 miles north of New York City, is called for a 17th-century chief.

Bill Tisherman, who was frailty president of the Village Improvement Society when the ailment was lodged, emphasisedded Wednesday, "Martha Stewart undermined. That's my sentiment. She gave up a immense chunk of what she was looking for and that's good for the future of this townspeople."

Stewart's companionship would not comment beyond the argument, which was unfashionable Nov. 2.

Stewart had got said she was observance Katonah's heritage by exploitation the name. In the argument, all parties uttered "mutual appreciation" for the townspeople.

Stewart emphasisedded the trademark would non interfere with the usage of the gens Katonah by others — such as Katonah Paint and Hardware and Katonah Architectural Hardware, the shops that challenged her — and informatedded she "has never disputed the right of Katonah-based concerns to use their town's name in their company name calling."

Stewart sworn to challenge use of the gens only if "a merchandise (like furniture) existed branded with the gens `Katonah' in a manner that infringed the company's trademark rights, which could cause mental confusion for consumers."