Burgers and the use of the word "Max"

We must really like red meat here in West Hartford. What else can explain Max Burger, the town's newest specialty burger joint? Plan B and the Counter, I suppose, just weren't enough to satiate our need to place cow between bread. The Max Group, seeing our desire for beef, had to throw their talents into the ring, as well.

Anyone try Max Burger yet? Any good?

Speaking of burger places, one thing that I came across that made me laugh and scratch my head was this article in the Hartford Advocate, which deals with a minor war that has erupted between Rich Rosenthal, a.k.a. Mr. Max, and Al Gamble, proprietor of Plan B. It seems the two have more in common than serving us mass quantities of ground beef. See, Gamble was planning on opening a restaurant called Max Amigo's. And Rosenthal wasn't very pleased:

"Let me ask you, do you think it's trademark infringement?" Rosenthal asked.

Rosenthal certainly thought it was, so he called Gamble. The conversation did not go particularly well, since Gamble is of the opinion that no one can own a word like "Max," especially in the restaurant business.

"Google it," Gamble told the Advocate. "People use it freely around the country. Even here there's Max Bibo's," said Gamble, referring to another restaurant with "Max" in its name that is unrelated to Rosenthal's group of eateries.

The gentlemen are working on a resolution.

However, owners of Max Mart in New Britain, Max-Tek in Newington, Car Max in Hartford, Max Pizza in Bristol, and all of the other "Max"-named businesses may want to keep their lawyers on speed dial. Rosenthal seems pretty sure he owns the right to your names. Who knows, the Max Group could be looking to open an office supply store.