Target wins battle over name
Target Corp. has reached a deal to use its name exclusively in Canada after close to a decade-long fight with the owner of the Fairweather clothing chain.
The mass merchant announced Wednesday it has come to an agreement with Toronto apparel magnate Isaac Benitah’s Fairweather Ltd., International Clothiers Inc. and Les Ailes de la Mode Inc. for nam- ing and branding rights in Canada. Benitah had opened 15 stores under the banner “Target Apparel,” and its red block-lettered name and round red-and-white logo bore a resemblance to the Walmart rival’s store banner. Target said Wednesday that Benitah’s companies had “agreed to cease use of the Target mark by Jan. 31, 2013.” Target is opening up to 135 stores in Canada beginning in March of that year. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
It comes after Target lost a court bid last June to win the exclusive rights to use its name in Canada. The Federal Court of Canada denied Target’s request for a preliminary injunction against Benitah and Fairweather to stop using the name.
In that case, the judge had agreed consumers might be confused about the similarity of the two chains’ names but he did not believe Benitah’s operation would cause Target “irreparable harm.”
Target Apparel has two stores in Edmonton, at West Point Centre and South Edmonton Common.