Irate Joe: Dave vs Goliath or Occupy Grocery?

[Locutus]

Vancouver, British Columbia -- Michael Hallatt has spent more than $350,000 at Trader Joe's in less than two years. But the popular grocery chain doesn't ever want to see him again.

"I'm their best customer," he said with a mix of pride and indignation.

Every week, the former Bay Area resident drives his panel van across the border to buy a few thousand dollars worth of merchandise at Trader Joe's stores in the States. He then turns around and resells the goods at his own shop in Canada for a profit.

Now, despite the obvious affection Hallatt and his customers have for the eclectic grocer, he finds himself the subject of a lawsuit filed in May by the California company, which has no presence in Canada. The suit seeks to shut down the store he owns in Vancouver that is entirely devoted to reselling Trader Joe's products.



more


Trader Joe's drags a pirate to court - seattlepi.com

 

[Nuggler]

8O...........Trader Joes nuts and stuff used to bed sold here in WallyWorld. Now they're just called "Joes", although the packaging is pretty similar.

A lot of their stuff is stale; which may say more about Wally and their best before dates than Joes.

whatever.

 

[B00Mer]

Trader Joe's Torpedoes Pirate Joe's, Sues Its Own 'Best Customer'

Trader Joe's Torpedoes Pirate Joe's, Sues Its Own 'Best Customer'

SEATTLE — A Canadian man who reportedly crosses the border into the U.S. every week to buy thousands of dollars worth of groceries from Trader Joe’s stores is being sued by the California company.

The San Francisco Chronicle said Michael Hallatt of Vancouver, British Columbia, runs Pirate Joe’s where resells goods from Trader Joe’s stores at his shop for a profit. However, after the lawsuit was filed, Hallatt renamed his shop “Irate Joe’s.”

The Hallatt, 53, told the Chronicle that he’s been asked to leave almost all of the Trader Joe’s stores in the Pacific Northwest.

He’s now at the center of a lawsuit that was filed in May by the company that runs Trader Joe’s; the lawsuit was filed in federal court in Washington state.

Some of the allegations in the lawsuit accused Hallatt of federal trademark infringement, unfair competition, false advertising, federal trademark dilution, deceptive business practices.

Hallatt’s lawyers filed a motion this month to dismiss the lawsuit.

Read more: Trader Joe’s suing Canadian man for reselling products | Q13 FOX News