JCPenney & Macy's Can't Stop Fighting Over Who Gets To Be BFF With Martha Stewart

Macy’s is suing JCPenney again over Martha Stewarts products, even though it already won a preliminary injunction against its rival to stop selling her stuff at Penney’s. This suit is trying to cast that injunction even wider and have JCPenney hand over some dough for daring to get all up in Macy’s business.

The suit filed in a New York court wants to “expand injunctive relief to J.C. Penney and seeks to have J.C. Penney pay damages for its tortious interference with the contract between Macy’s and Martha Stewart Omnimedia.” Martha Stewart Living had already appealed the first injunction, reports the Wall Street Journal.

JCPenney wanted to set up little Martha Stewart branded shops to shill her wares in its stores, after buying about a 16% stake in the company earlier this year. But Macy’s has been selling her products for years and sees this move as a violation of its territory.

Martha Stewart Living could perhaps give a boost to both itself and to JCPenney — the retailer has been struggling with its recent makeover and expansion of Martha’s merchandising would be pretty attractive to that brand as well. And then we can all get our fill of strawberry slicers or pastel sheets or whatever, no matter where we shop. Yay.

Macy’s Sues Penney in Martha Stewart Dispute [Wall Street Journal]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.