Buzzards Bay Pizza Shop Forced to Change Name Before Opening

Just two weeks before its grand opening, Wicked Fire in Buzzards Bay was asked to change its name immediately by a competing company. It’s a big hurdle to jump before opening his first brick-and-mortar restaurant, but owner Josh Lowden is staying positive and leaning on his loyal customers for some ideas on a new name.

From Corporate America to Flipping Pizzas

Back in August, Lowden was thrilled to share the news that his mobile pizza shop would be featured in a special on WCVB alongside Jennifer Hudson. His drastic career change in 2020 from corporate America to business owner was the focus. The birth of the Wicked Fire mobile pizza shop saw tremendous support from the community.

The support was so good, he was ready to open an official restaurant.

And then came the speed bumps.

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Wicked Fire Gets a Letter

Lowden finished up a successful season with his popular food truck and got to work on his new restaurant. Last Thursday, he proudly hung the “Wicked Fire” sign above his entrance, but the following day, he was crushed by a letter in the mail.

“I got a letter from Wicked Restaurant Group’s attorney,” he said. “The group owns Wicked Restaurant and Wine Bar in Mashpee and a few other restaurants on the Cape. The letter explained they have had a service tag since 2008 that says, ‘Wicked fire-kissed pizza.’ They asked us immediately to stop using the name Wicked Fire or Wicked Pizza.”

Lowden was crushed. After almost three years of using the name and filing the necessary paperwork for a business license, he thought he was in the clear.

“At the time, my thought process was if I missed something, I would be notified when I try to submit for a license,” he said. “It went through and I thought it was all set. I probably should have done my part in making sure trademarks or service marks weren’t taken, but at the time, I didn’t think there was anything wrong.”

It was an honest mistake with no ill intent on Lowden’s part, but with a projected opening in two to three weeks, he’s feeling the pressure.

Lowden’s Plan Moving Forward

Lowden remains positive and is incredibly grateful for the support from the community. He will still open his doors in two to three weeks as he actively files for a new name.

“We are proactively looking for a different name,” he said. “The goal is to open the doors and slowly but surely change the name.”

If you bought a gift card that says “Wicked Fire,” don’t sweat it.

“Every single person that purchased a gift card, we obviously will honor it no matter what our name is,” he said.

Help Wicked Fire Change Its Name

Lowden decided to ask for the public’s help in renaming his restaurant. During his soft openings, he will invite the people with the best ideas as his VIP guests.

It’s a crushing blow for this brick-and-mortar beginner, but Lowden and his team are confident that the community will offer up an even better name, and this new shop in Buzzards Bay will continue to serve up some of the best wood-fired pizza in the area.

The Best of South Shore Bar Pizza

There's pizza, and then there's South Shore Bar Pizza. Birthed in Brockton (and to this writer, perfected in Randolph – Lynwood Café is the true G.O.A.T.), it must meet certain qualifications to be considered "SSBP," which include: it's a 10-inch pie; it has a thin, cracker-like crust with minimal "flop;" the cheese is a blend that features more cheddar than mozzarella; and bonus points if you take it home between two carboard-type plates wrapped in flat brown paper bag. They also usually come with "laced" or "burnt" edges (terminology depends on where you are ordering), which is when the sauce and cheese are extended all the way to the edge of the pan, creating a crispy, flavorful coating to the crust. We reached out to the hugely popular South Shore Bar Pizza Social Club Facebook group to ask the experts to share the best of the best (in no particular order).

Source: Buzzards Bay Pizza Shop Forced to Change Its Name 2 Weeks Before Grand Opening