# Businesses With Unfortunate Names **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 10, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852 "2003-04-10T19:07:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wintermute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@Wintermute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wintermute)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/21 "2003-04-10T20:58:05Z")
I see trucks with “A. Dewy Pyle” printed on the side all the time. Not a very appealing image, but it’s a genuine company. Makes you wonder what’s bad enough about the guy’s first name that ‘Dewy’ seems the better choice. The worst ones for this I think are the Funeral Homes. I’ve seen some that just seemed, well, not well thought out. I don’t care if it is your last name, Scar is not a good name for a funeral home. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/22 "2003-04-10T21:00:43Z")
A rather renowned one if you went to a local univeristy was ajecent to our campus: **Cumming Cockburn**. (Pronounced Koh-burn, of course.) The had a brilliant, white stucco buidling with their name in big, red letters along the side that faced the road. It sort of beame a landmark, because everyone had made a mental note of it when they’d first seen it. If you ever had to meet at a nearby restaurant, you’d just say, “yeah it’s next to the cumming cock burn building.” ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/23 "2003-04-10T21:05:37Z")
> [@](#): > > I keep seeing trucks driving by that say S&M Trucking. There’s a landscaping company in Toledo named S&M Triangle Services. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/24 "2003-04-10T21:09:10Z")
Okay, **Avarie537** , I give up: what’s a D&C? All I can think of is ‘Duck and Cover’, but I’ve a suspicion that the truth us more stomach-turning. Or is that the kind of question I’m gonna regret asking? ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/25 "2003-04-10T21:14:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cisco \* > \*\* I’ve seen pictures online of a gas station the “Pump & Munch” but I don’t know if they were doctored. Anyone ever actually seen this place? \*\* Here’s a clip from a newspaper: > [@](#): > > A tobacco check consists of an individual under the age of 18 attempting to purchase tobacco from an establishment. > > Tobacco checks haven’t been completed in Caledonia since 1999. Quillins IGA and the Ranch bar failed the 1999 compliance check. > > The **Pump and Munch** in La Crescent was the only other business who failed this year’s compliance check. > > Since January 1, 1997, there have been 95 compliance checks made with 27 minors being successful at purchasing tobacco and 68 being unsuccessful. The article is from 12/26/00 ([http://www.ecm-inc.com/news/caledonia/2000/december/26countyboard.html](http://www.ecm-inc.com/news/caledonia/2000/december/26countyboard.html)). So yes, **Cisco** , there really is a Pump and Munch. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/26 "2003-04-10T21:16:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sunspace \* > \*\*Okay, **Avarie537** , I give up: what’s a D&C? All I can think of is ‘Duck and Cover’, but I’ve a suspicion that the truth us more stomach-turning. > > Or is that the kind of question I’m gonna regret asking? \*\* It’s a medical procedure. Dilation and Curettage (familiar to anyone who has miscarried). FAR MORE stomach-churning. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/27 "2003-04-10T21:19:43Z")
Oh, and I just thought of another, same town as Cumming Cockburn – there used to be a restaurant called **Fung King Express**. Dunno if it’s still there. It used to sort of be across from a bingo hall. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/28 "2003-04-10T21:26:58Z")
Couple more here … Panda Express Chinese Restaurnant (Is it finger ling-ling good, like Homer’s Kentucky Fried Panda?) Family Funeral Service (Don’t call us if you’ve got just one!!) ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/29 "2003-04-10T21:34:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Avarie537 \* > \*\ ***Dooku,** there’s a chain of gas station/restaurant/travel stop places in Indiana. The signs all say “T and A Travel Stop” or something like that. (Tried to find a link - but I was afraid to type that into Google!) \*\* They used to be called Truckstops America, but have changed the name to [TA Travel Center](http://www.tatravelcenters.com/ta/display_page.phtml?page_id=20) in order to sound like a fine place to bring a station wagon full of kids to. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/30 "2003-04-10T21:37:50Z")
Me again… Panda Express doesn’t serve panda. Just reasonably decent Chinese quick-serve. And I forgot all about the Sanitary Bakery here in SF. Special mention going to Fat Chance Belly Dancing and Luen Fat Bakery, also in SF. ---
**Author:** ![talito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ea924/32.png) [@talito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/talito)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/31 "2003-04-10T21:43:10Z")
And let’s not forget MD Tusch - a proctologist specializing in hemmorhoids that advertises in the NY subways. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/32 "2003-04-10T21:54:01Z")
Diner’s actual name is “Colonial Diner.” Burned-out (or vandalized) neon letters turned it into “Colon Diner.” eeeeew. Later fixed, then different letters out made it “COLONIAL ER.” What’s in the Colonial Emergency Room? Lots of leeches? Apparatus for bleeding? ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/33 "2003-04-10T21:55:36Z")
Double “D” Body Shop ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/34 "2003-04-10T22:19:48Z")
I believe there was a restaurant that opened awhile ago called (and I think this is the right spelling): Phucket Try saying that outloud. ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/35 "2003-04-10T22:32:59Z")
Except that Phuket, Thailand, is pronounced (roughly) pu-ket, with an aspiration on the “p”. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/36 "2003-04-10T22:34:42Z")
**PMS Lasers** Actually, they build a fine product, it just craps out on you once a month. ---
**Author:** ![kirk280980](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c77e96/32.png) [@kirk280980](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kirk280980)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/37 "2003-04-10T22:52:55Z")
My hometown used to have a store called _S&M Appliances_. Closed down a couple of years ago, but the name was always a long-running joke amongst the locals. I remember _Loaded_ magazine used to have a regular section, in which they encouraged their readers to photograph amusing signs from around the world and send them in. My personal favourites were those of a store in Germany called _Wankmuller_, a restaurant in China called _Fanny_, and a computer dealer in Hong Kong which went by the rather charming name of _Fuk Hing Business Machines_. ---
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/38 "2003-04-10T22:52:55Z")
In Vernon, TX there’s a Squirrely Shirley’s Truck Stop. Now that I think of it, that may not be unfortunate. Ageing myself here, but I remember the late Steve Allen when he had the Tonight Show joking about a Big A Cleaners in Hollywood, where he said one went to get one’s big A cleaned. Anybody know if that’s still there? ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2003, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/39 "2003-04-10T23:52:32Z")
I’ve done business with the now defunct “Guns 'R Us/Postal Plus” in Phoenix but I think the name was a benefit to them. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852/40 "2003-04-11T00:05:35Z")
I’ve always been amused at the high number of companies named **Precision Screw**. A couple of towns over, there’s a building with that painted in huge letters on the side. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/businesses-with-unfortunate-names/167852.md?page=3)