Why the Happy Sumo Is Happier Now
A Utah sushi restaurant is undergoing a remodeling after a federal judge ruled its décor copied that of a competitor.
The Yapona restaurant located in American Fork, Utah, is undergoing the $15,000 renovation as a result of an early ruling in a lawsuit brought by The Happy Sumo, with locations in Colorado and Utah, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.
U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart of Salt Lake City ruled earlier this month that the Happy Sumo had a good chance of winning the trade dress suit and the restaurant would be harmed if Yapona kept its current look as the litigation progressed, the story says.
The Happy Sumo had claimed Yapona copied its red accent wall and flat-panel television behind the sushi bar; booths with red curtains on the side; a loft-like ceiling with exposed pipes; tables covered with black table cloths and brown paper; light-colored chairs; a brown-stained concrete floor; and employees dressed in black, according to the story.
