Choosing a name for a restaurant can take just as much consideration, effort, and anxiety as crafting the initial concept. Once a name is established, it usually stays put unless there’s a significant change in the business’s direction—and even then, altering a name can create misunderstandings. A case in point is when St. Louis Bread Co. transitioned to Panera; supporters contended that keeping the original name felt inauthentic since they had abandoned it in other regions.
A contemporary example involves Mission Taco Joint, which was compelled to undergo rebranding after Gruma Corp., the owner of Mission Foods, accused them of trademark infringement. Gruma’s trademark encompasses a variety of products, including tortillas, chips, and salsas. Over the next six months, Mission Taco Joint will be shifting to its new identity, Session Taco, at all eight of its locations in St. Louis and Kansas City, with new branding and signage to be introduced shortly.
This week also witnessed two more local establishments facing mandatory name changes.
Bacaro, a cicchetti bar nestled in the lower level of Noto Italian Restaurant (5105 Westwood), has been in operation for less than a year. However, the owners have recently received a cease-and-desist letter requiring them to alter the name of their bar.
“We believed bacaro was a common term,” shares Kendele Sieve, co-owner of Noto and Bacaro with her husband, Wayne. “In Venice, there are countless bacari, and numerous restaurants across the U.S. also utilize this name. We assumed bacaro was akin to bodega, which cannot be copyrighted. But we were mistaken. A restaurant/bar secured the name as a trademark in 2004 and has renewed it twice since.”
While the Sieves contemplated challenging the trademark’s legitimacy, they ultimately decided that pursuing a legal dispute was not worthwhile. They chose instead to change the name, viewing it as the most straightforward solution.
The idea for a new direction stemmed from the Sieves’ trip to Bormio, a well-loved Alpine resort town in Northern Italy. “We went to a wine dinner there and fell in love with the food, the wine, and the entire cozy ski resort vibe,” she recalls. “So, since we had to change the Bacaro name, we thought, why not refresh the concept too?”
Beginning in January, the bar will unveil Alpine-inspired menu items, with a comprehensive redesign of food, drinks, and wine anticipated by March. The fresh menu will showcase hearty comfort dishes from the Alpine region, including Austrian, Swiss, Northern French, Slovenian, and Northern Italian specialties. Possible dishes may include raclette, fonduta or fondue, Alpine dips, quark cheese, goulash, rye bread and cheese soup, and wiener schnitzel. The wine selection will align with this new theme, presenting bottles and varietals from those regions.
The décor will also undergo a gentle transformation to evoke an Alpine ambiance. “The structure will stay the same, but we aim to swap the Venetian gondolas and masks for hand-drawn illustrations of the Dolomites and Alps,” Kendele adds.
The changeover to Bormio will be finalized by March. “We believe this concept has the potential to be stronger than the original and removes the need to explain cicchetti to everyone,” Kendele mentions. “Additionally, Bormio begins with a B and has the same letter count as Bacaro, making sign updates simpler—a little sign from the universe, perhaps.”
The Sieves are also transitioning the bar’s website from BacaroSTL.com to BormioSTL.com to facilitate a seamless rebranding experience.
At the same time, in Kirkwood, The Smiley Face Cookie Company—a side venture by Scott and Sheila Rinaberger, owners of McArthur’s Bakery—is setting forth on a rebranding journey after receiving a cease-and-desist letter. This letter originated from a company that holds a trademark on the term “smiley” for all baked goods.
To settle on a new name, the Rinabergers are seeking input from the community via social media. Until Friday, December 6, fans can share their ideas using the hashtag #NewNameNewSmiles.
However, the new name must not include any version of “Smile” or “Smiley,” even with different spellings, Scott Rinaberger informed the St. Louis Business Journal. “We’ve already collected over 100 suggestions but are eager for more,” he stated. “We desire a name that embodies joy, playfulness, and whimsy, while also representing our mission of providing employment to individuals with disabilities.”
The Smiley Face Cookie Company has gained recognition in the St. Louis area for its vibrantly colored, “perfectly imperfect” smiley-face cookies, along with its employment practices.
In 2020, Scott Rinaberger transformed the Kirkwood location of McArthur’s Bakery into Pioneer Bakery & Café, a concept that serves as a training establishment for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
In 2021, the bakery, its distinctive model, and the unusual cookies featured on Today with Hoda & Jenna during their Restaurant Week special. This exposure led to a flood of inquiries about selling the cookies, including interest from Schnucks, which was keen to offer one of the bakery’s products. Currently, six-packs of the signature cookies are available at 77 Schnucks locations across the St. Louis area.
Beyond providing a range of baked goods, a full breakfast and lunch menu, and coffee, Pioneer Bakery & Café also markets the beloved Smiley Face Cookies—new name pending.
