Earlier this month, Westword published an article regarding a cease and desist issued by Alamosa's Locavores restaurant to Denver's Leevers Locavore, claiming that the Northside establishment copied their sign and logo. To clear the air, the Vice-President of Leevers Supermarkets Chris Leevers has written an open letter to show that the logo has been employed for years by the company and that the resemblance is purely coincidental.
An open letter to the Alamosa Valley Courier and Westword:
To whom it may concern:
I would like to take the opportunity to respond to the article about Leever’s Locavore, accused of trademark infringement by a business owner in Alamosa, on behalf of our family. I want to start by saying we are disappointed that we did not have the opportunity to have this discussion prior to such an article, but we are thankful for the opportunity to respond. Leevers Supermarkets has been serving the needs of our local communities for nearly 82 years. We have always sought to cater our offering to the needs and wants of the specific communities we have served across Colorado while being a good neighbor and contributing to the local areas we serve. As such, throughout three generations we have operated many different formats of stores, with each store looking different from the next.
Our most recent venture, Leever’s Locavore, was developed over several years, and motivated by the changing needs of the local northside neighborhood. Over the course of nearly five years, we became deeply involved in conversations with neighbors and community groups to design a store around their specific needs and desires. Through this process, we learned that what people in our community were looking for are quality products created and manufactured in the local area. Leevers Locavore was born with excitement from both our company and the neighborhood we sought to serve. We went to work on creating a grocery experience that is entirely new, unlike anything we’ve ever seen. A concept completely unique yet familiar and comfortable to those who call its surroundings home.
We’re not a restaurant, we’re not a bar, we’re not even a grocery store. We’re a community hub food experience. While in our store, you can meet your neighbors and friends for a drink, taste the quality of local food providers, and fill your basket with natural organic goods, most locally-sourced. As Leevers Supermarkets is a 100% employee-owned company, even our ownership is rooted in the local neighborhood! The design of our store, logo, design, and signage was developed utilizing feedback from our community, and drawn from the rich heritage of 82 years of family history. Included with this letter are the two specific photos that inspired the design of our logo.
Throughout our concept development, we were not aware of a restaurant operator in Alamosa. As our family has been residents of Colorado for over 23 years, and have been operating stores in Colorado for over 37 years, we have always sought to add value to our communities by cooperating with local businesses. Leevers Locavore is the latest result of our ongoing efforts. We work closely with our local vendors, suppliers, and producers to bring their products to market together.
While it is unfortunate that a business owner from a remote community feels that our design elements could cause confusion among our customers, we would welcome the opportunity to work together to bring both of our very different brands to each of our communities. Perhaps the best signature items from Alamosa could be brought to the customers of the northside neighborhoods? Regardless, we will continue to do as we have always done, serve and be a good example of everything that is good about our community.
Thank you for the opportunity to get our perspective and we welcome you to come see us and what we are all about.
Be Vocal, Eat Local,
Chris Leevers
Vice-President
Leevers Supermarkets, Inc.
A 100% Employee Owned Colorado Company