Dumb Starbucks: Parody, pop-up and popular

There is a new coffee shop on the block and it already has become a social media phenomenon. Here is a passage from the much studied FAQ:

Is this a Starbucks?

No. Dumb Starbucks is not affiliated in any way with Starbucks Corporation. We are simply using their name and logo for marketing purposes.

How is that legal?

Short answer – parody law.

And so the FAQ of Dumb Starbucks begins. How long it remains that way is another question entirely and one that is very likely to be discussed debated and decided upon in the courts.

Over the weekend just passed a new coffee shop opened up in the Los Feliz neighbourhood of Los Angeles. The store, as pictorial evidence showcases, is identical in every way to what you would consider a ‘normal’ Starbucks: same colour scheme, same logo, same drinks, but they are all prefixed by the word dumb and nothing is actually for sale. Iced coffees and lattes were available free of charge to those that braved the reportedly hour-long queues.

As word-of-mouth spread and social media lit up and people flocked to the Californian parody shop in their droves.

Unfortunately the coffee house has not garnered a reputation for providing a great cup of joe, or even a passable one according to some patrons who spoke to the local media after their visit. ‘This is pretty awful,’ said one person to KCAL9’s Cristy Fajardo who went down to cover the peculiar pop-up.

Starbucks is aware of the parody and the company is ‘looking into it’ according to Megan Adams, a spokeswoman for the global chain, though she did decline commenting when asked about if there was any threat of legal action towards their ‘dumb’ counterpart.

Parody law has been interpreted in a number of different ways by the U.S legal system over the years, but the trend is that the less commercial entities have been treated more favourably as opposed to those that have tried to capitalise on potential trademark infringements for a monetary gain. The key here is that Dumb Starbucks have been given out their beverages for free. Naturally, this leads to the speculation that they either have a very dumb business plan, or that there is something bigger behind this current piece of what is evidently performance art.

The early gossip is that Dumb Starbucks is part of something bigger. Rumours point towards the involvement of the writer and producer Dan Harmon and Rain Wilson, most famously known, perhaps, as Dwight Schrute from the U.S version of The Office. Both were amongst the first to snap pictures and talk about Dumb Starbucks the other day. Other stories favour a theory that this is all the work of Banksy. 

But what the ulterior motive is remains to be seen. Will it become a dedicated platform for a piece of performance art that is parodying the coffee culture, whilst poking fun at the biggest name out there, or, as some suggested, is it part of a reality television show such as Nathan For You? 

Nobody quite knows.

‘It’s a very L.A. thing’ said local Connor Sweeney. ‘We’ll see how long it lasts.’

Those in the area who want to jump in line while they still can, can still do so. You can also follow Dumb Starbucks on twitter (@dumbstarbucks) and Instagram.