Lexington in Legal Spat with Bob Timberlake

June 19, 2008  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on June 2008 Lexington Home Brands has become embroiled in a dispute with Bob Timberlake, who the company states in legal documents is seeking to end a license agreement over the popular furniture collection that runs through 2010.

Lexington Home Brands filed suit this week in Davidson County Superior Court seeking to have the license enforced through 2010. According to the legal action, representatives of Timberlake, a famed American Realist painter, served notice that his company intends to terminate the agreement in 60 days, arguing that Lexington has breached the agreement by failing to “promote, advertise and market the furniture products.”

Details of the dispute were first reported in Lexington’s local newspaper, The Dispatch on Thursday. A Lexington Home Brands spokeswoman declined to comment, citing a policy against discussing pending litigation.

Dan Timberlake, general counsel for Bob Timberlake Inc., said he could not discuss details of the matter except to say, “We’re obviously disappointed Lexington elected to take this approach on resolving a fairly simple business matter, but we’re fully prepared to go forward based on their decision and look forward to a resolution.”

In addition to seeking to clarify the license matter, Lexington is seeking $145,000 it says it is owed for goods purchased by Bob Timberlake Inc. for sale in its retail store and catalog.

The World of Bob Timberlake became one of the most successful lines in the industry when Lexington Home Brands launched it in 1990. Timberlake and Lexington locked horns in 2006 when the manufacturer announced plans to shut a factory and shift production overseas. Timberlake strongly expressed his desire to continue having his designs manufactured domestically, and the situation was resolved when Linwood Furniture reached an agreement to reopen the factory to produce the line for Lexington.