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Cost Plus Sues Vegas World Market Center

By Thomas Russell, Furniture Today -- Gifts and Dec, 6/21/2007 6:31:00 AM

Las Vegas — The parent company of Oakland, CA-based retailer Cost Plus World Market has filed a suit demanding that the Las Vegas-based World Market Center (WMC) stop using the term “World Market” in its name.

The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Nevada earlier this year by Cost Plus Management Services, claims that the similarity between the names has caused confusion in the marketplace by incorrectly implying there is a business relationship between the two entities.

It also claims that the use of World Market name has hurt Cost Plus World Market’s business and reputation by associating its name with products it doesn’t necessarily endorse.

Cost Plus said in the suit that it operates 286 stores in 35 states under the World Market and Cost Plus World Market names. It said it first received trademark status for use of the World Market name on its stores in 1993.

The suit claims the company has spent some $250 million to promote the World Market name for its retail goods and services in the past two years alone.

Cost Plus points to some furniture retail stores that it said have sourced products from the WMC and offered them under the World Market name.

In the WMC’s response, the showroom and trade show venue said it believes it can continue to use the name without infringing on any prior trademark owner.

World Market Center officials and attorneys representing both sides were not available to comment.

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