Beaner’s To Drop Name Some See As Derogatory

Lansing State Journal:

Acknowledging its name can be mistaken for an ethnic slur, Beaner’s Coffee is making a change.

The coffee chain founded in a former Arby’s restaurant on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing told franchisees Friday it will gradually move to the name of Biggby Coffee by Jan. 31, 2008, said Bob Fish, chief executive officer.

‘You remember the saying from the playground, ’sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.’ Well, that’s not really true,’ said Fish, a co-founder of the chain who helped think up the Beaner’s name around a kitchen table more than 15 years ago.

‘Names do hurt. What we realized is we had a name that unintentionally hurt people,’ he said.