AL REASONOVER ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) Civil Action No. 3:14-cv-235 ) SOLARIUM LLC and SOLARIUM ) BITTERSWEET LLC ) ) Defendants. )
COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
Plaintiff, Al Reasonover (hereinafter referred to as Plaintiff), through his undersigned counsel, makes the following complaint against the Defendants, Solarium LLC and Solarium Bittersweet LLC: Nature of the Action 1. Plaintiff is an individual residing at 220 Marine Avenue, Elkhart, Indiana 46516. 2. Plaintiff is the owner of a service mark, Tiki Tan (hereinafter the Mark), registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Reg. No. 2602388. A copy of the trademark electronic search system registration search is attached hereto as Exhibit A. 3. Plaintiff operates tanning salons under the Mark and develops tanning salons operated by others to whom he licenses the use of the Mark for a fee. 4. The registration is valid, subsisting, in full force and effect, and has become incontestable pursuant to 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1065. 5. The registration of the mark constitutes prima facie evidence of its validity and conclusive evidence of Plaintiffs right to use the Mark in connection with tanning salon case 3:l4-cv-00235-PPS-CAN document l filed 02/05/l4 page l of 8 services. 6. The registration also provides sufficient notice to Defendants of Plaintiffs ownership and exclusive rights in the Mark. 7. The Mark has been continuously used by Plaintiff and has never been abandoned. 8. Defendant, Solarium LLC, is an Indiana limited liability company with its registered place of business located at 212 E. LaSalle Avenue, South Bend, IN 46617. 9. Defendant, Solarium Bittersweet LLC, is an Indiana limited liability company with its principal place of business located at 4542 Elkhart Road, #700, Elkhart, IN 46517 10. This is an action for trademark infringement under 15 U.S.C. Sections 1114, 1116, and 1117, as well as trademark infringement and unfair competition under the common law of the State of Indiana. Jurisdiction and Venue 11. Jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter of this action is proper in this Court pursuant to 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1121 (actions arising under the Lanham Act), 28 U.S.C. Sec 1331 (actions arising under the laws of the United States), 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1338(a) (actions arising under an Act of Congress relating to copyrights and trademarks). 12. This Court has supplemental jurisdiction over the claims in this Complaint that arise under state statutory and common law pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1367(a). 13. This Court has personal jurisdiction over the Defendants because they do business and are organized in the State of Indiana, within the Northern District of Indiana. 14. Venue is properly founded in this judicial district pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Sections 1391(b) and (c) because Defendants reside in this District, may be found in this District, and/or a substantial part of the events giving rise to the claims in this action occurred within this District. case 3:l4-cv-00235-PPS-CAN document l filed 02/05/l4 page 2 of 8
Count I - Trademark Infringement Injunctive Relief
15. Solarium LLC maintains a website known as www.tanattiki.com. 16. Solarium LLC displays a service mark at that website reading Tiki Tan by Solarium. A copy of that website mark is attached hereto as Exhibit B. 17. A sample of the Mark registered by Plaintiff is attached as Exhibit C. 18. Solarium LLC entered into a licensing agreement with the Plaintiff to use the Mark within a five mile territory around 4542 Elkhart Road, #700, Elkhart, IN 46517. A copy of that agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit D. 19. The agreement does not permit Solarium LLC to alter the service mark in any way. 20. The agreement does not permit Solarium LLC to use the Mark outside of the five mile territory around 4542 Elkhart Road, #700, Elkhart, IN 46517. 21. Solarium LLC had actual and constructive notice of Plaintiffs federal trademark registration of the Mark. 22. Solarium LLCs use of the Mark altered to include its own name in connection with the promotion, sale and distribution of tanning salon services infringes on Plaintiffs rights in his federally registered trademark, in violation of 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1114. 23. Solarium LLC and/or Solarium Bittersweet LLC operates a tanning salon under the name Tiki Tan at 306 N. Bittersweet Road, Mishawaka, IN 46544. 24. Solarium LLC and/or Solarium Bittersweet LLC operates a tanning salon under the name Tiki Tan at 1290 E. Ireland Road, South Bend, IN 46614. 25. Solarium LLC and/or Solarium Bittersweet LLC operates a tanning salon under the name Tiki Tan at 215 E. University Drive, Granger, IN 46530. case 3:l4-cv-00235-PPS-CAN document l filed 02/05/l4 page 3 of 8 26. The operation of such tanning salons by Defendants using the Tiki Tan name is without the permission of the Plaintiff. 27. Defendants illicit uses of the Mark constitute intentional, deliberate and willful infringement. 28. Defendants actions are intended to cause, have caused, and are likely to continue to cause, confusion, mistake, deception among consumers, the public, and the industry as to whether Defendants services originate from, are affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by Plaintiff. 29. As a result of Defendants conduct, Plaintiff has suffered irreparable harm for which there is no adequate remedy at law. 30. Plaintiff is entitled to injunctive relief against Defendants, restraining further infringement of Plaintiffs federally registered trademark. 31. As a result of Defendants conduct, Plaintiff has also suffered damages in an amount as of yet determined. Count II - Trademark Infringement - Damages 32. Plaintiff incorporates by reference the preceding Paragraphs 1-31. 33. Upon information and belief, Defendants have made and will continue to make substantial profits and gains from the operation of such tanning salons using the Tiki Tan name, to which they are not in law or equity entitled. 34. Upon information and belief, Defendants intend to continue infringing unless restrained by the Court. 35. Defendants actions have damaged and will continue to damage Plaintiff, and Plaintiff has no adequate remedy at law. case 3:l4-cv-00235-PPS-CAN document l filed 02/05/l4 page 4 of 8 36. Plaintiff is entitled to all illicit profits and gains made by Defendants Count III - Common Law Trademark Infringement 37. Plaintiff incorporates by reference the preceding Paragraphs 1-36. 38. Plaintiff owns all rights, title and interest in and to the Mark including all common law rights in such marks. 39. Defendants, without authorization from Plaintiff, have used and are continuing to use spurious designations that are identical to, or substantially indistinguishable from, the Mark. 40. Defendants actions are intended to cause, have caused, and are likely to continue to cause, confusion, mistake, deception among consumers, the public, and the industry as to whether Defendants services originate from, are affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by Plaintiff. 41. Upon information and belief, Defendants have acted with knowledge of Plaintiffs ownership of the Mark and with deliberate intention or willful blindness to unfairly benefit from the incalculable goodwill symbolized thereby. 42. Defendants actions constitute trademark infringement in violation of the common law of the State of Indiana. 43. Upon information and belief, Defendants have made and will continue to make substantial profits and gains to which they are not in law or equity entitled. 44. Upon information and belief, Defendants intend to continue infringing unless restrained by the Court. 45. Defendants actions have damaged and will continue to damage Plaintiff, including but not limited to lost profits, attorney fees, and costs of this action.
case 3:l4-cv-00235-PPS-CAN document l filed 02/05/l4 page 5 of 8 Count IV - Common Law Unfair Competition 46. Plaintiff incorporates by reference the preceding Paragraphs 1-45. 47. Defendants actions constitute unfair competition in violation of the common laws of the State of Indiana. 48. Upon information and belief, Defendants have made and will continue to make substantial profits and gains to which they are not in law or equity entitled. 49. Upon information and belief, Defendants intend to continue infringing unless restrained by the Court. 50. Defendants actions have damaged and will continue to damage Plaintiff, and Plaintiff has no adequate remedy at law. THEREFORE, Plaintiff respectfully requests that this Court enter judgment against Defendants as follows: a. Finding that (i) Defendants violated 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1114, (ii) Defendants have engaged in trademark infringement and unfair competition under the common law of Indiana, and (iii) such conduct has damaged Plaintiff monetarily and in ways not adequately remedied by monetary damages alone. b. Granting an injunction, preliminarily and permanently restraining Defendants, its members, managers, agents, employees, and attorneys, and all those persons or entities in active concert or participation with them from: i. Altering the registered mark, Tiki Tan, in any way including but not limited to including the words by Solarium with the mark; ii. Operating tanning salons at 306 N. Bittersweet Road, Mishawaka, IN 46544, 1290 E. Ireland Road, South Bend, IN 46614, and 215 E. University Drive, case 3:l4-cv-00235-PPS-CAN document l filed 02/05/l4 page 6 of 8 Granger, IN 46530, under the name Tiki Tan; and iii. engaging in any other activity constituting unfair competition with Plaintiff; iv. engaging in any other activity constituting trademark infringement or which deceives consumers or the public about the origin of services associated with Plaintiff. c. Requiring Defendants to file with this Court and serve on Plaintiff within thirty days after entry of the injunction a report in writing under oath setting forth in detail the manner and form in which Defendants have complied with the injunction. d. Directing such other relief as the Court may deem appropriate to prevent consumers, the public, and/or the industry from deriving any erroneous impression that any service at issue in this action has been authorized by Plaintiff or is related in any way with Plaintiff. e. Ordering Defendants to pay statutory damages or alternatively ordering Defendants to account to and pay Plaintiff all profits realized by their wrongful acts and also awarding Plaintiff its actual damages, and also directing that such profits or actual damages be trebled in accordance with 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1117. f. Awarding Plaintiff actual and punitive damages to which it is entitled under applicable federal and state laws. g. Awarding Plaintiff his costs, attorney fees, investigatory fees, and expenses to the full extent provided by 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1117. h. Awarding Plaintiff pre-judgment interest on any monetary award made a part of the judgment against Defendants. i. Awarding Plaintiff such additional and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper. case 3:l4-cv-00235-PPS-CAN document l filed 02/05/l4 page 7 of 8 Respectfully submitted,
Dated: February 5, 2014 /s/ Frank J. Agostino__________ Frank J. Agostino, Esq. 120 W. LaSalle Avenue, Suite 704 P.O. Box 1635 South Bend, Indiana 46634 (574) 288-3750 (574) 245-5972 (FAX) Frank_Agostino@msn.com
Attorney for Al Reasonover
case 3:l4-cv-00235-PPS-CAN document l filed 02/05/l4 page 8 of 8