Astoria Coffee War: Portlanders to stand in solidarity w. Samantha Buck against Starbucks

Nearly two years ago, Samantha Buck of Astoria, Oregon, bought a small coffee shop and named it Sam Buck's –- after herself. A year later, Starbucks® opened a store inside Fred Meyers, five miles away, and served Samantha with a cease and desist order demanding that she stop using her own name on her store because they claimed it was causing confusion for Starbucks® customers. Samantha refused. [ Read more... ] On August 9, Samantha Buck was served a summons by Starbucks®. She is required to respond within 20 days to Starbuck®'s demand that she change the name of her shop or face legal prosecution. Samantha's Portland lawyers have told her that she needs to produce $5000 to initiate the legal batttle. Sam neeeds assistance, both material and emotional. [ Read more... ]

On Friday, August 16, Portlanders will stand in solidarity with Samantha Buck and protest at the Starbucks in Pioneer Square. The action will start at 7:00 a.m. "bright and early for the morning coffee crowd, and [last] as long as there are folks to do it." [ Details ]

Another post to the open publishing newswire urges people to call and write Starbucks and the Portland lawyers they hired to go after Samantha. This post includes emails, phone numbers, and -- borrowing a technique from animal rights activists -- a "black fax" to send. [ Details ]

Interestingly, almost 80 comments have been added to the original article on this topic, "Astoria Coffee War". Activists working with portland indymedia believe this is most comments on any article since the website was launched nearly two years ago.

[ Astoria Coffee War | Sam Buck has been served a summons by Starbucks | Starbucks protest this Friday to support Astoria's Samantha Buck | Tell STARBUCKS and their PORTLAND LAWYERS to leave Samantha Buck alone!! ]