Trader Joe's suing Canadian man for reselling products

Courtesy: theworld.org



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.

You can read the entire article from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.