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House Beer in the Short North

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Started 11 months ago by thecandlelab
Latest reply from RhondaH

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thecandlelab
Columbus, OH
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So, there is a beer store called "House Beer" opening in the Short North. Here is the link:

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/germanvillage/news/2012/06/12/House-Beer-opening-in-Short-North.html

House Wine has been around for almost five years in Worthington, and has built a big base of loyal customers who go there for wine and a great selection of craft brews. This is pretty lame because they either A) blatantly ripped off a name of an existing business to use their brand equity or B) aren't smart enough to Google the name of their new business. Either way, its lame.

Donnie from House Wine is too classy to put this up here, so I'm going to do it for him. I'm excited about a new beer store in the Short North, but this name has got to change before they open.

Posted 11 months ago #
DCist
UA
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The name doesn't even make sense. Some places do offer the "house wine" but who ever heard of someone ordering "house beer"?? Stupid.

Posted 11 months ago #
mrpoppinzs
Arena District
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I agree that House Beer sounds lame.

Posted 11 months ago #
Twixlen
The Weston District
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It feels shady. And dirty. And utterly not-clever, considering.

Posted 11 months ago #
bucki12
wp
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Heh, I guess 'Bierstube' was taken...

Posted 11 months ago #
chaptal
West Side
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Hey look, they have a website and contact info.

http://www.myhousebeer.com/

Posted 10 months ago #
jessfarnsworth

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bucki12 said:
Heh, I guess 'Bierstube' was taken...

Letss here it for the stube!

Posted 10 months ago #
0Angle
Home-Northwood Park, Breweries-43215
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Bauhaus coulda been a good name. Or maybe Drought House. Definitely need some variation on the word house. (Bodega, yr doing it wrong).

Posted 10 months ago #
ToddAnders

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I must say; who gives a shit? So someone opens up a business and it resembles another name. OK? Seems like there is nothing here but a little stirring of the pot. Let there be wine in the north and beer in the south. Settled.

Posted 10 months ago #
MichaelC
Downtown
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I really like Candle Lab, so please don't take my critique personally.

This seems like a flimsy assertion--that "House Beer" ripped off the "House Wine" name.

Is there some evidence beyond the same first word in the two-word names that would indicate that the founders of House Beer either, as you said, "A) blatantly ripped off a name of an existing business to use their brand equity or B) aren't smart enough to Google the name of their new business."

If not, it seems a little unfair to assume that one of two things happened here, and that those two options are the ones you've articulated.

Posted 10 months ago #
thecandlelab
Columbus, OH
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I can't think of a third option, but if you have one I will certainly consider it. Either they knew of House Wine and decided to move forward with a name that sounded suspiciously close to it. Or they didn't know, and just a bit of research would have been helpful in not selecting a name that was so easily confused with another business. The second options seems unlikely, since people in wine/beer circles in this town talk to one another, so someone had to bring it up to them before now. So that brings us back to the initial assertion - they either did it on purpose or they just don't care.

I wish these guys the best and I want the business to do well in the Short North. But using another business' brand equity is a lame way to start your enterprise. I learned this lesson when I was part of the group that started the Grandview Hop. When we posted the initial notice on CU, we got creamed with pages of comments saying the name was a rip-off of Gallery Hop. Even though the term "hop" is used for 100's of events around the country in a very general way, the message was still clear - have enough creativity to come up with your own name and don't trade on someone else's hard work and good reputation.

Posted 10 months ago #
housebeer
843 north high street
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@thecandlelab
steve, thank you for your feedback. we truly appreciate your sentiments and want to assure you that our intentions are furthering the efforts of local small businesses, not detracting from them. we named our carryout spot house beer for two reasons that we are very passionate about. first is fostering support and education for our community and its history. both myself and my co-owner were raised in columbus. we are inspired by columbus and its rich history as the epicenter of the anti saloon movement that became prohibition. we pay homage to those brewers who refined their craft in their homes in spite of adversity, inspiring generations of home brewers to become the master brewers of today. our mission is to help support local breweries by featuring them on our taps and having them come in and to talk to our neighbors about their endeavors. the second reason is that we are home brewers ourselves. we aim to provide education about brewing techniques and possibilities that exist to everyone in their own homes. we have benefitted from the home brewing community and thought we should share our passion and our support for it.

weeks from now, we will be opening our doors to the community. we will be offering events that not only support the craft beer industry and the growth of small businesses, but also the artistic community. if there is one thing we agree on, it is that small businesses stick together. it sounds cliche but it takes a village to raise a child, and we hope to have your support. we apologize to you and anyone who is offended by our name, but hopefully you will come see for yourself why we named our place house beer. thank you for your continued support of the small businesses of columbus, and feel free to contact me to discuss further at any time.

walt

Posted 10 months ago #
bucki12
wp
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thecandlelab said:
But using another business' brand equity is a lame way to start your enterprise. I learned this lesson when I was part of the group that started the Grandview Hop. When we posted the initial notice on CU, we got creamed with pages of comments saying the name was a rip-off of Gallery Hop. Even though the term "hop" is used for 100's of events around the country in a very general way, the message was still clear - have enough creativity to come up with your own name and don't trade on someone else's hard work and good reputation.

Wait, What? Isn't it still called the Grandview Hop? Are you saying that feedback was just ignored? I am pretty sure most people see that as a direct ripoff of brand equity in a community.

Posted 10 months ago #
thecandlelab
Columbus, OH
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@bucki12 - I joined the group two years in after the name was picked and we were stuck with it. We couldn't have changed it two years in, but we accepted the feedback and learned a lesson which we have passed on to every other group that has reached out to us about doing a similar event.

@housebeer - I appreciate your passion and I'm sure your business is going to be great. It will be a good addition to the Short North and I wish you all success. With that said, your name is too close to an existing business and there is no getting around that issue. As you know, small businesses work hard to build a brand and name recognition, and trading on someone else's name is a problem. You can do what you want - I just think its a rough way to start.

Posted 10 months ago #
leftovers

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thecandlelab said:
@bucki12 - I joined the group two years in after the name was picked and we were stuck with it. We couldn't have changed it two years in, but we accepted the feedback and learned a lesson which we have passed on to every other group that has reached out to us about doing a similar event.

I imagine they have also invested similar time. I don't think calling them out publicly like this is fair considering your own experience. Maybe an attempt to reach out to them privately with your concerns would have been more appropriate?

While maybe not the best name - 'house and beer' are pretty generic terms, especially if they have a home brewing facet. I know of several other businesses called 'House Wine' besides the store in Worthington.

Posted 10 months ago #
MichaelC
Downtown
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Candle Lab,

I really think you're reaching here. It would be one thing if "House Wine" were a well-known commodity in the region or among the potential patrons that House Beer will be pursuing. I'm not sure that's the case. (Perhaps it is, but that's not something either of us can prove.)

For example, I informally polled ten friends that live in the Short North, German Village and University District. Zero of the ten had heard of House Wine.

If House Beer opened up shop in Worthington, or put itself out to the world as a subsidiary business to House Wine, I'd be on board with you.

But as evidenced above, these guys have a compelling story, and they've put together two generic names to come up with something meaningful. I'm sure the same was true of the owners of House Wine when they got started in Worthington.

Can't we give a small business the benefit of the doubt and not besmirch them until evidence arises of some sort of impropriety?

Posted 10 months ago #
Graybeak
Hunky Town
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MichaelC said:
Candle Lab,

I really think you're reaching here. It would be one thing if "House Wine" were a well-known commodity in the region or among the potential patrons that House Beer will be pursuing. I'm not sure that's the case. (Perhaps it is, but that's not something either of us can prove.)

For example, I informally polled ten friends that live in the Short North, German Village and University District. Zero of the ten had heard of House Wine.

If House Beer opened up shop in Worthington, or put itself out to the world as a subsidiary business to House Wine, I'd be on board with you.

But as evidenced above, these guys have a compelling story, and they've put together two generic names to come up with something meaningful. I'm sure the same was true of the owners of House Wine when they got started in Worthington.

Can't we give a small business the benefit of the doubt and not besmirch them until evidence arises of some sort of impropriety?

There are only so many words in the english language, (regardless of how many slang words the kids make up these days). Don't let him get you down Candle Lab.
Signed,
Someone from MadLab.

Posted 10 months ago #
Polis

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OH MY GLOB YOU GUYS!

I heard The Candle Lab ripped off the non-profit's name, Platform Lab. Candles light up my life with fire and wax while giant super computers light up my life with large monitors; basically they are the same type of business.

OH MY GLOB!

Posted 10 months ago #
leftovers

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What about all those people who have been shopping online at The Candle Labortatory since 2005?

Posted 10 months ago #
Polis

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Posted 10 months ago #