Star-Crossed (Luckenbach sues Beerland Texas)

Austin Chronicle ^ | DECEMBER 10, 2004 | CHRISTOPHER GRAY

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Two very different Texas institutions are set to spar over an image almost as seminal as the state flag. Last month, Red River punk/garage nexus Beerland received a notice from attorneys for cosmic cowboy shrine Luckenbach, informing them Luckenbach considered Beerland's logo an infringement on their trademark.

Owner Randall Stockton begs to differ, saying the star-in-oval design – perhaps you've also seen it representing Lone Star Beer, the Lone Star Cafe, and Jerry Jeff Walker – should belong to nobody; or, rather, that it belongs to all Texans.

"There's just so many people who affiliate themselves with Texas that use this logo," Stockton puzzles. "It's like a birthright."

Ironically, Stockton freely admits that if he copped it from anywhere, it's Lone Star, and they're fine with it. "They said, 'That's really weird,'" he affirms. "'If you need anything from us, let us know.'"

He's got an attorney looking into the situation, but right now, basically has to sit back and wait to see how aggressively Luckenbach wants to pursue it. "There's a question of what they would get if they sued us," Stockton says. "Or how much publicity they want."

Since Beerland isn't exactly rolling in dough, a nasty legal squabble may not be quite the image the pastoral Hill Country hamlet recently profiled on CNN wants to project.

"It's not exactly that laid-back cosmic cowboy persona," agrees Stockton. Luckenbach's lawyers, the San Antonio commercial firm of Cox Smith Matthews Inc., hadn't returned a phone call at press time, but "TCB" is very interested in their side of the story.

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(photo by John Anderson)

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[neb52]

Hard to say, but I think it is obvious that the logo was ripped off of Lonestar, not Luckenbach. We are talking subtle differences. Luckenbach's sales must be down for them to be making this big of a stink. I don't get the Texas Kinship thing with Luckenbach. I have never had one of their beers, nor do I know anybody that drinks their beer either. Is it due to how long they have been open for business in Texas? If anybody in DFW drinks local Texas beer, then most likely its a Shiner.