The City of Chicago is suing a Rockford-based coffee company for trademark infringement, claiming the company’s logo is an imitation of the Chicago Fire Department’s symbol.
Fire Department Coffee and the Fire Department both feature logos that consist of the letters D, F and C intertwined in a stylized monogram, which is likely to confuse consumers into thinking the city has endorsed or sponsored the business, according to the lawsuit filed Thursday.
The lawsuit also alleges that the company was aware of the Fire Department’s logo and created a similar symbol “because it concluded that using a mark similar to the CFD mark would greatly enhance the sale of goods” and the business’ success.
According to the lawsuit, the city first used the CFD mark in commerce as early as Jan. 1, 1949, and features the logo on ambulances, trucks and on some uniforms.