Martha Stewart’s Katonah?
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- January
- 18
Once upon a time there was a Native American tribal leader, Chief Katonah. He died along with his wife and son when, according to legend (i.e. the internet) they were struck by lightning…other sources say it was only his wife and son who were struck by lightning, and he died a short time later of “grief.� Regardless, before he died, the Chief sold a piece of land to local settlers, and part of that land was eventually named after him—Katonah. Yada yada yada a few hundred years—past the Revolutionary war, the invention of the railroad, Teddy Roosevelt becoming president, women getting the right to vote, and Abba debuting—and today, the name Katonah is at the center of a new battle.
Martha Stewart, one of Northern Westchester’s most high profile residents, wants to use the name on a new line of furniture and home furnishings. The domestic diva has applied for a trademark on it, according to The Bedford Record-Review. In
a story by Neal Rentz, some locals expressed their anger. The co-president of the Katonah Village Improvement Society, William O’Neill, said Ms. Stewarts attempt to “appropriate our name� is a “terrible idea…Katonah is our town, and the name should be available for us to use without restriction.�
According to a press release cited by the Record-Review, Ms. Stewart said the product line “was inspired b not only my own farmhouse and stables but by the beautiful landscape and topography of the region in which I live.�
There’s been no word yet on whether anyone will try to block Martha Stewart’s trademark application. But somewhere, Chief Katonah is surely turning over in his grave.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, January 18th, 2007 at 2:22 pm by Suburbarazzi.
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Lmfao xD
If Martha submits the trademark application then her boyfriends, Charles Simonyi and Edd Townsend, should each donate at least $10 million to the town of Katonah, NY.
Yes, Martha should now generously support such local Katonah institutions as the library, fire department, art museum, community center, etc. And she does not need her boyfriends – Forbes just put her on their list of the richest women in entertainment, with $638 million!
This is so silly. The residents of Katonah should be happy that Martha is putting their hick-town on the map. Did General Motors have to pay a royality to California when they named their car 'Malibu'? Give me a break! It's funny how everyone wants to pick the pockets of "the rich" like they have a right to do it. Martha came from humble beginnings and built her so-called empire with hard work. And let's not forget that she just made a generous contribution (1 million, I believe) to Westchester Hospital. Nuff said.
so Joe – Katonah is far from a "hick" town. Research before you type. The upset over this is not that Stewart is using Katonah, it is that she wants to trademark the name, creating an uneasiness with locals because they don't want to lose the freedom to use the name as they please. also – the Malibu was first put into production in the sixties when trademarking wasn't scrutinized the same as it is today.
In a town where the average price of homes is just under a million, there are people who who have the time and money and nothing better to do than to get upset over little things.
All the different news reports I've read about this story don't mention that she already attempted a couple of filings back in 2005, which eventually became abandoned. Was there the same furor then?
It seems to me to be short sighted not to block anyone from obtaining a trademark on the name of a town. With such a trademark in place, any future business could be blocked from using the name of the town in their business name. Why can't Martha just use the name just the same way as established businesses like the Katonah Pharmacy do now?
Does the trademark request state that the use of the name shall only be used for certain purposes? Such as retail manufacturing? Hmmm… I don't recall the citizens in the town of Durango, CO running about crying fowl over the use of the town's name by Dodge, and I'm pretty sure Dodge trademarked the name for auto use. There are many names that have been used that way and no doubt trademarked for a single use. Hello – Jeep Cherokee? And that the citizens don't want to be known for Martha's furniture? Now they're known for this scene. This is movie of the week material.
Well I'm offend by the use for furniture. As a Native American I think Martha should have inquire more about the use of the name . I plan to contact several of my friends who are direct desendants of Katonah along with couple of tribal nations to turn the heat up on Martha Stewart.
Well my friend, Martha will be using the name "Katonah" on her furnitures and this will soon be forgotten. I do not see what the big upset and turning up the heat is all about based on the context of her trademarking the name.