Sushi bar in CDN forced to change name
I admit to giggling a bit over this: the Fukyu sushi bar in Côte des Neiges has been made to cover up its sign and agree to change its name to Kabuki. Here’s the sign you can no longer see.
(Why should it matter, I wonder? Signs have to be in French, and Fukyu doesn’t mean anything in French.)
(And meanwhile Hentai Sushi flourishes in Lachine…)
Blork 22:25 on 2012/09/13 Permalink
Apparently the judge referred to the “Montreal context.” In other words, “fukyu” might not mean anything in French, but it means something in “Montrealese,” even to unilingual francophones.
ant6n 23:10 on 2012/09/13 Permalink
Used to go to Yuki Sushi near the Village
Steph 23:22 on 2012/09/13 Permalink
They should have denied their intent to ‘turn heads’ and stuck to its cultural meaning and cited Reasonable Accommodation! I think the language law wasn’t an issue because the advertised name was actually ‘Fukyu Bar à Sushi’, like: Les Cafés Second Cup, Lunetterie New Look, Quincaillerie Canadian Tire. The french descriptor makes it legal. I think the days of Old Navy & Urban Planet are numbered. Welcome Vetement Old Navy & Pantalon Urban Planet, like retailers don’t have better things to spend money on.
Adam Hooper 23:46 on 2012/09/13 Permalink
Clear language law violation. It means something in English, so it’s an English sign. :)
walkerp 00:06 on 2012/09/14 Permalink
They should change it to something like TaBarNaku Sushi.
ant6n 00:41 on 2012/09/14 Permalink
Taba Naku Sushi?
Chris 07:49 on 2012/09/14 Permalink
How about they start selling seal meat and call it Phoque-Yu Sushi? :)
Joe 09:59 on 2012/09/14 Permalink
I don’t think this is an issue of language. The sign is deemed inappropriate because it’s basically “fu*k y*u”.
William 11:26 on 2012/09/14 Permalink
It’s a pity they went with Kubaki instead of Bukaki.
Kate 11:01 on 2012/09/15 Permalink
Report in the Journal noting that the owner (who isn’t Japanese) hopes the news will be good for his business. Oddly I can’t find a listing anywhere for the Fukyu sushi bar but the menu shown on the Journal story shows it’s on Jean-Talon.