Posted by Duane Beans Sousa on December 14, 1998 at 19:46:06:
My nick name is Beans....i got the name handed down to me by my Dad...who's nick name was Beans. He got it from My Grandfather, who's nick name was Beans since 1875. It's a family hand me down.
I came up with this idea at Camp a few Summers ago...after someone told me that it takes a longer time to boil water at high elevation....BUT if you put a rock in the pan the water will boil quicker....I experimented and found that It worked. I packaged the rock with 2 cups of beans, and a small packet of spices for a chile recipe. I called It "BEANROCK" with Camp Chile. I then sent my $250.00 to the trademark department to trademark then name. I got an official trademark return shortly after that.
A year later the Trademark Department wrote me saying that L.L. BEAN, the outdoor apparel mail-order company thinks my product will be damaging to their company, and that they have been using the name BEAN since 1912.
I have to dispute the matter by Feb 1st 1999, or my trademark will dissolve. Dang, is this for real? It's a family name, handed down, and I can't use it because it's too similar to L.L. BEAN. Heck, they don’t even sell any food products. And every time i mention L.L.BEAN here on the West Coast to someone, they say to me “L.L. BEAN? " Who's That??. And they claim to be world renown? I sell these things at farmers markets. How can I be damaging a company that claims to have a profit of $10,000,000 a year. i can't afford a lawyer, but If anyone has an Idea how I can keep my trademark....please speak up or write me.
Duane Beans Sousa