B.C. billionaire Weihong Liu, who acquired leases for up to 28 Hudson's Bay stores, faces significant trademark issues with her plan to launch new department stores called 'New Bay.' This is because Canadian Tire Corp. recently acquired the intellectual property rights to Hudson's Bay, The Bay, and HBC brands for $30 million, making Liu's proposed name 'confusingly similar' and potentially infringing on established goodwill.
A B.C. billionaire bought up Hudson’s Bay leases. Her plans to rename them New Bay comes with legal risk
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️B.C. billionaire Weihong Liu, who acquired leases for up to 28 Hudson's Bay stores, faces significant trademark issues with her plan to launch new department stores called 'New Bay.' This is because Canadian Tire Corp. recently acquired the intellectual property rights to Hudson's Bay, The Bay, and HBC brands for $30 million, making Liu's proposed name 'confusingly similar' and potentially infringing on established goodwill.
Trending- 1 1670: Hudson's Bay Company history dates back to.
- 2 Last month: Weihong Liu's affiliate struck a deal to acquire Hudson's Bay leases.
- 3 Same week as lease deal: Ms. Liu appeared in social media posts with 'New Bay' logo.
- 4 Last week: Canadian Tire Corp.'s $30-million deal for HBC intellectual property received court approval.
- 5 Currently: Ms. Liu's plans for 'New Bay' face legal risk.
- Potential legal dispute over trademark infringement
- Ms. Liu's plans for 'New Bay' may be blocked or require a name change
- Canadian Tire will need to actively use the acquired trademarks to maintain their rights
- Former Hudson's Bay employees are being hired by Central Walk
What: B.C. billionaire Weihong Liu, who acquired leases for former Hudson's Bay stores, plans to open new department stores under the name 'New Bay,' but this faces significant legal challenges due to trademark infringement as Canadian Tire Corp. has acquired the intellectual property rights to Hudson's Bay brands.
When: Deal for leases struck last month; Canadian Tire's deal received court approval last week; Hudson's Bay demise is relatively recent.
Where: British Columbia (Nanaimo); Canada (general, for trademark law); Toronto (where Central Walk hired former HBC employees).
Why: Weihong Liu wants to revitalize the retail spaces with new department stores. However, she did not acquire the brand rights, which were sold separately to Canadian Tire. This creates a conflict because her proposed 'New Bay' name is legally 'confusingly similar' to the well-known and valuable Hudson's Bay trademarks, which have centuries of goodwill.
How: Weihong Liu, through her company Central Walk and affiliate Ruby Liu Commercial Investment Corp., acquired the leases. She has publicly discussed her 'New Bay' plans on social media. Canadian Tire Corp. acquired the trademarks. Legal experts warn of potential infringement under Canada's Trademarks Act.