From Lovesack to Lovebite: Why a new Phoenix business had to change its name

PHOENIX - Just one month after it opened, a restaurant along Roosevelt Row in Downtown Phoenix has already changed its name.

"The whole thing about our concept is that we're bringing comfort food to Downtown Phoenix for affordable pricing," said the restaurant's owner, Angel Gould.

The dumpling restaurant, which used to be called ‘Lovesack,’ is now called ‘Lovebite’ after a furniture company threatened a lawsuit over the name.

"We passed a trade commission. We did everything correctly," said Gould. "And then, on the last day that they could object, they did."

Gould identified the furniture company that threatened a lawsuit due to their similar business names as Lovesac.

"That was the first time we heard from them, and it was just kind of a generic letter saying 'don't use this name,'" Gould recounted. "And then from there, it got slightly more aggressive."

It was a battle Gould was willing to fight, until it became too expensive. Gould put a suggestion box in their restaurant and got over 2,000 responses. The winning name came from an anonymous customer.

"I crossed out the ‘sack’ and just put ‘bite’ above it," said Gould. "So, it's definitely a lesson, but a disappointing lesson that, you know, we did everything correct and we would still have to take the fall. and they would get everything they wanted out of it."

We have reached out to the furniture store for comment, but they have yet to respond.