When frozen yogurt shops became popular in the 1980s, the two big chains in L.A. were “Heidi’s Frogen Yozurt” and the “Humphrey Yogart Cafe”. I always thought those two names were about the silliest creations ever to emerge from the desk of a marketing manager, worse even than such transgressions as Ti-D-Bol and Liquid Plumr.
I’ve always wondered why they did this with yogurt, and if it was just a California phenomenon, or if the same sort of thing happened elsewhere.
In Berkeley there was (is?) a place that specialized in bagels and soup.
You know – Lox, Stock, and Bagel!
And let’s not forget about the endless string of cutesy-pun-named hair salons (Curl Up and Dye, anyone?).
No, it’s not just yogurt, and it’s not just California (though we may be worse than others).
Cripes. Maybe it IS a California thing. Down here in San Diego there’s a place called Bogart’s Yogart. (don’t get me started on the “a” please)
I’ll add in to the mix all the mobile pet grooming vans I’ve seen. There must be a rule that they should all have cutesy names. (sadly they escape me, otherwise I’d offer one out to you)
If they actually had lox, then it wasn’t a bad name at all.
what was particularly annoying about Heidi’s Frogen Yozurt was that the "0"s had the “long vowel” diacritical mark over them, to make sure that people “get it”. Presumably they thought without the marks, we’d pronounce it “Froggen Yozzurt”.
Here in St. Paul we have a Dan’s Fan City and a chain of clothing repair shops called Sew What!
So, are you looking for cute business names, or just cute frozen yoghurt business names, or cute business names in California, or cute frozen yoghurt business names in California?
Well to be honest, I was originally just curious as to yogurt specifically, since it seemed odd to me that two similar chains would have similarly cutesy names. One would almost think that one would have sued the other for trademark infringement–except that that would require the plaintiff to say, in effect, “no! WE have the right to use a cutesy name, and they DON’T!”
But what the heck. I don’t think we’ve had a thread on cutesy business names, so feel free to chime in with anything similar. It might make it more interesting to indicate whether you think it’s a good name or not. They’re not always bad. I think Sew What! and Lox, Stock, and Bagel are pretty clever.
[Simpsons]
Owner: “Take this object. But beware, it carries a terrible curse.”
Homer: “Ooh, that’s bad.”
Owner: “But it comes with a free frogurt!”
Homer: “That’s good!”
Owner: “The frogurt is also cursed.”
Homer: “That’s bad.”
Owner: “But you get your choice of topping!”
Homer: “That’s good!”
Owner: “The toppings contain potassium benzoate.”
Homer: (stares at the shop owner)
Owner: “That’s bad.”
Homer: “Can I go now?”
[/Simpsons]
As for cutesy business names, I recently heard a local radio commercial (Radio Jackie, SW London) for a pet grooming business called “Doggy Style”.
The most annoying business name I know is a soup and salad chain in Atlanta called “Lettuce Souprise You” :rolleyes:
The worst cute name offender has got to be beauty salons; they always have the goofiest puns using “hair” or “mane” or something.
There used to be Yonny Yonson’s Yogurt.
There’s an Asian restaurant called Chef at Wok. I like that one!
There used to be a yogurt/snack chain in New York called “Drooler’s Delight,” which I always thought was the most unfortunate name.