08/12/2010 // West Palm Beach, FL, USA // Tara Monks // Tara Monks
Ocean City, MD – The Ocean City boardwalk known for its small shops filled with trinkets and souvenirs is facing the wrath of a company known for its “luxury lifestyle handbags and accessories,” according to The Baltimore Sun. Coach, Inc. has accused 13 stores of selling counterfeit products.
According to lawsuits filed by Coach in federal court during the week of August 9, 2010, Coach investigators spent two days in June looking into stores on the boardwalk and buying counterfeit bags, wallets and other items. The counterfeits held price tags ranging from $20 to $75; far below the typical $300 price tag that accompanies a real-deal Coach bag.
Investigators claim some shops displayed dozens of imitation Coach products for sale. The lawsuit also states an employee within one of the shops admitted to an undercover Coach agent the products were knock-offs.
Nancy Axilrod, associate general counsel for Coach explained in an email to The Baltimore Sun, “To those who traffic in counterfeit goods the message is simple: Coach is looking for you and, once found, will seek the maximum penalties available, including substantial monetary payments.”
The shops named in the suit are: Maytalk; Beach Break; Hot Topik; Ocean Reef; Summer Breeze; Surf Beachwear; the Fashion Shop; Ocean Waves; sunset Beachwear; New York New York; Jewel of the Ocean; Oceanfashion Boutique; and Sunglass City.
Coach is seeking $2 million for each counterfeit violation within each store or a court order for the store owners to pay Coach all profits earned from the items.
Coach has filed approximately 250 lawsuits across the country, and has secured court judgments and settlements for hundreds of thousands of dollars for damages, according to Axilrod.
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