Sandwich Shop Bows to Subway, Agrees to Change Its Name

The owners of a father-and-son sandwich shop in Milford, Conn., said Tuesday that they will change their company's name to avoid a costly legal fight with Subway, the world's largest sandwich chain. Brian Bowser, who was threatened with a trademark lawsuit last month, said he'll change his company name from Steakways Famous Philly Cheese Steaks to Steak Street. "My American dream got crushed," Bowser said. "But I'll recover."

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The owners of a father-and-son sandwich shop in Milford, Conn., said Tuesday that they will change their company’s name to avoid a costly legal fight with Subway, the world’s largest sandwich chain. Brian Bowser, whose Steakways Famous Philly Cheese Steaks sandwich shop sits on a street corner about two miles from Subway world headquarters, was threatened with a trademark lawsuit last month. He said he’ll change his company name to Steak Street. “The amount of money it’s going to cost in attorney’s fees — they estimated it could take a year, a year and a half, maybe even two years,” Bowser said. “The amount of money it would take would be unbelievable. I don’t want to do it but I have to. They’ve got deep pockets and I’ve got to be conservative.” Steakways has been open for a year. It caters to local businesses and, in the summer, attracts visitors from the nearby beach. Bowser said he wasn’t copying Subway theme when he opened. Steakways was a reference to steak prepared many different ways, he said. A spokesman for Subway said the company had not officially heard of the name change and could not immediately comment. Bowser’s lawyers said he might have won the dispute but it would have been costly and a victory was not guaranteed. A 1986 court ruling ordered New York bakery owner Ken McShea to stop using the name McBagel’s because McDonald’s had essentially trademarked the prefix “Mc.” Bowser said he plans to open a second store in Bridgeport under the new Steak Street name. He said he still hopes to franchise the business. Subway has more than 24,000 restaurants in 82 countries. It posted $6.27 billion in sales last year. “My American dream got crushed,” Bowser said. “But I’ll recover.” Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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