A Washington, D.C.-based bagel chain has launched a federal lawsuit against a Jersey Shore bagel shop, claiming the store is using a name and branding too close to its own.
Call Your Mother, a fast-growing bagel chain with locations across several states, filed suit in the U.S. District Court for New Jersey. The complaint targets Call Your Bubbi, a kosher bagel shop operating inside the Wave Resort in Long Branch.
The D.C. company argues that the Call Your Bubbi adopted a name, imagery and color scheme that could mislead customers into assuming the two businesses are connected.
The owners of Call Your Mother built their brand around a distinctive name, a trademarked rotary-phone logo and a bright palette carried across stores, packaging and merchandise. The lawsuit states that the team discovered the Long Branch shop after a photo was posted online of its storefront, which raised questions about whether the chain had expanded into New Jersey. Once they took a closer look, they realized there was something eerily similar about the New Jersey bagel shop: the branding and name were too close for comfort.
According to the filing, the Long Branch shop has operated under multiple labels—Bubbi Bagels, Call Your Bubbi and other variations—but continues to use a logo marked with its name in a circular arrangement. The suit also points to earlier uses of imagery similar to the D.C. chain’s rotary-phone theme and notes the use of nearly identical color combinations. Call Your Mother argues that these choices appear deliberate and provide enough overlap to confuse typical customers.
The lawsuit outlines the history of the Call Your Mother brand, which began in 2018 and has since grown into a multi-state operation recognized for its bagels, deli staples and more. Over that time, the company registered its name and related marks with federal trademark authorities.
The owners claim they did not go straight for a lawsuit. Instead, Call Your Mother claims they attempted to resolve the conflict privately, sending a cease-and-desist letter in August. The letter was never answered.
Call Your Bubbi, operated by David Mizrahi, has not publicly addressed the lawsuit. The shop uses different names across platforms—its Google listing, website domain and social media handles do not align. However, the contested name appears on merchandise and branding.
The filing accuses the Long Branch shop of trademark infringement and unfair competition. It claims the overlap has caused damage to the established brand and risks diverting customers who might assume the businesses share ownership. Call Your Mother is asking the court to order the NJ bagel shop to abandon the contested name, destroy any materials that use it and compensate them with profits, damages and legal fees.
The case now moves forward in federal court, where a judge will determine whether Call Your Bubbi, AKA Bubbi Bagels, AKA other variations, deliberately crossed the line or coincidentally picked an ill-fated name and branding.
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