Apple has won a preliminary injunction against two retailers in Queens, NY. The company had sued Apple Story for trademark infringement, along with 50 John Does and several unspecified retailers, and Apple was able to win its preliminary injunction almost instantly.
Apple Story is one of many defendants in Apple’s lawsuit
Image courtesy of BirdAbroad
As part of its success, Apple has been contending with a variety of fake Apple Stores in China, including stores that not only looked an Apple-designed, built, and owned store, but also outfitted its employees in T-shirts with Apple logos on them.
The trademark infringement suit doesn’t involve the stores in China, but the Internet buzz created by those stores has brought at least some U.S.-based retailers who want to trade on Apple’s name under the company’s scrutiny. The above-mentioned Apple Story doesn’t look like an Apple Store, but the name clearly infringes on Apple’s trademarks.
ComputerWorld reported that Apple won the preliminary injunction against both Apple Story and another location owned by the same person, Samuel Chuang, called Fun Zone. Both stores are on Main Street in the Flushing neighborhood in Queens.
The case still has to go to trial (barring a settlement), but the preliminary injunction indicates that U.S. District Court Judge Kiyo Matsumoto believes Apple’s case is strong.