QUISPAMSIS, NB – Two New Brunswick automobile repair shops are in a dispute over whether their business names are too similar.
Five years ago, Dana and Brad Douthwright operated Ultimate Offroad from their garage. When they needed more space, they bought a lot in Quispamsis in May 2013 and opened the doors in the fall.
But just up the street from where they moved sits Ultimate Auto, a body shop and used car lot that’s been operating since 2001. Owner Mike MacMaster says the business names are causing confusion.
“We get credit card charges to our accounts and there’s account mishaps, and their deliveries get dropped off here,” MacMaster said. “Yesterday I had a truck back in here to unload a bunch of lift kits.”
He filed a complaint with the province, saying Ultimate Offroad is ‘deceptively similar’ to Ultimate Auto. Service New Brunswick agreed and have given the Douthwrights 60 days to change their name.
“We really feel that we’ve been completely blind sided by the system and we feel that the accusation is very malicious,” said Dana Douthwright.
They say the name change could cost them nearly $100,000.
“He was accusing us of riding his coattails, that we were going to take business away from him, that we were going to use his years of hard work and reputation to better our business,” she said.
Service New Brunswick said the names are confusing to customers.
But the Douthwrights have started a petition. Over 1,000 people have signed the petition, stating Ultimate Offroad should be allowed to keep their name.
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