Two Texas barbecue chains with similar names have settled a trademark lawsuit that allows each to continue operating without changing their signs.
The County Line of Austin and Waller County Line LLC, based in the Houston area, have reached an out-of-court settlement that ends a lawsuit filed in mid-2016, according to court documents. Specific details of the settlement were not released, but a court order dismissing the case noted both parties agreed The County Line exclusively owns the trademarked named.
Attorneys for the two companies have not yet responded to requests for more information.
The suit was filed last July by The County Line. In its lawsuit, the 40-year-old company with eight locations in two states, including locally at 5204 FM 2222 and 6500 W. Bee Cave Road, said it learned of Waller County Line in 2016. At that point, attorneys for the Austin-based chain claimed they tried to get Waller County Line to stop using the name but received no response.
This isn't the only barbecue-focused legal battle in the Austin area. Earlier this year t he maker of Stubb’s brand barbecue sauce, One World Foods Inc., sued Austin eatery and entertainment venue Stubb’s Austin Restaurant Co. for alleged trademark violations. Through an unwritten agreement, the two companies had shared branding for years without incident. That case is still pending.
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