Lamps R’nt Us Anymore

Executives at Toys R Us, the national toy chain, R mad that the centerpiece of their company’s logo appears in other retailers’ names.

So, Toys R Us lawyers have fired off dozens of angry letters in recent years to tell people to quit using the “R,” and they’ve taken several companies to court to force removal of the letter.

And when Dennis Swanson, who founded Lamps R Us in Chatsworth in 1976, tried to get a registered trademark for his company name three years ago, Toys R Us persuaded officials at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to deny the request.

Partly to reflect a broader product line but also to bow to pressure from the New Jersey-based toy chain, Lamps R Us last week changed its name to Lamps Plus.

“It’s a simple change for us,” Swanson, 39, said of his company, which has grown to 12 stores and factory outlets in Southern California. He played down any notion that the Lamps R Us name treaded on the trademark toes of the toy chain, insisting Toys R Us never filed a lawsuit against the lighting company.

But he acknowledged that he wanted a registered trademark so he could continue to expand his business at what he says has averaged 30% growth annually, and, at the same time, protect the good will he builds around the company. “I wanted a name I can protect nationwide,” he said.

In addition, he said, the new name better reflects the company’s business in track lighting and ceiling fans. “Less than 50% of our business is in lamps,” he said. “Besides, we also ran into a company in Texas named Lamps R Us and there were a few problems there.”

Swanson would not pinpoint his company’s sales. “It’s more than $10 million and less than $40 million, put it that way,” he said.