The first clue that Michael Ripp was planning a restaurant group came from Google, the greatest spy since Mata Hari. Search the name of his new New Zealand-themed grass-fed burger restaurant, Burger Bach, and what comes up?
A registration for a servicemark.
A servicemark is a trademark in the United States used to protect a business’s services, rather than a single product. The servicemark is the reason I can’t open a quick service burger outlet called “Hardee’s” and sell “Monster Thickburgers” without buying a franchise and paying fees to the servicemark holder. Anyone can make and market burgers, but only Hardee’s franchise owners can call a charbroiled Black Angus burger with four strips of bacon, three slices of American cheese and condiments on a sesame seed bun a “Thickburger.” The Thickburger is one item in a bundle of services that, once assembled, make-up the fast food chain’s bread and butter.
Hardee’s, like Mike Ripp, has protected its bottom line by registering its signature items under a servicemark.
Burger Bach’s restaurant model isn’t like Hardee’s. There won’t be a Thickburger on the menu or a drive-in. His burgers won’t be the cheapest or the biggest or covered with four slices of American cheese. Instead of fast-food-supersized, Ripp is launching a sit-down spot with everything made in-house, centered around hormone-free meats and healthier sides.
The description provided to the United States Patent and Trademark Office for BURGER BACH is Restaurant; Restaurant and bar services; Restaurant and bar services, including restaurant carryout services; Restaurant and cafe services; Restaurant and catering services; Restaurant services; Restaurant services featuring sandwiches; Restaurant services featuring BURGERS; Restaurant services, including sit-down service of food and take-out restaurant services; Restaurant services, namely, providing of food and beverages for consumption on and off the premises; Restaurant, bar and catering services; Restaurants featuring home delivery; Take-out restaurant services.
Pretty generic, yes? But Burger Bach won’t be, hence the servicemark.
A “bach” (pronounced “batch”) is a simple beach house in New Zealand, where similarly themed burger joints are common. Ripp will import his beef from New Zealand, a country that doesn’t base its beef industry on factory farming. Cows are grass fed, and, according to Ripp’s research, his importing strategy is “competitively priced and ecologically on par or better than trucking beef” from U.S. producers, who are raising their prices. He also plans to add a selection of New Zealand wines, beers and another famous export, the New Zealand green mussel.
Burger Bach is set to open the beginning of February in the old Ellwood’s Cafe in Carytown, and will serve all-natural burgers, sides and house-made condiments in a casual dining room. The long bar and communal table look at brick artwork by Richard Patterson, who dug the clay from his yard and hand-fired the rosy blocks before numbering them for a mason’s assembly. The life-sized New Zealand Black Angus cow is modeled after a cow on the Ishtar Gate. Patterson’s cow doesn’t have a sign on its neck reading “eat mor chikin,” but it may plant the idea on a subconscious level. Or not. Some won’t mind eating beef under its artful elegance.
In addition to beef burgers, the restaurant will offer hormone-free chicken and fish burgers with Kiwi-inspired names and accouterments, hand-cut fries, fresh sides (burgers will come with a green salad), and, a full bar, that will expand to an oyster bar in a couple of months.
In the beginning, Burger Bach will be open for dinner seven days a week, before adding lunch in the spring. That’ll give Ripp time to perfect his servicemark and plan his next location.
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