One town, 2 coaches, too many

Wells Fargo might have turned a blind eye when Eaton Bank, the predecessor to the newly named Centennial Bank chain, harnessed horses to a stagecoach to deliver its Northern Colorado image.

But that was before Wells Fargo rode its own coach into town.

Since the Wells Fargo acquisition of Greeley’s 1st Choice Bank last spring, Wells Fargo has begun branding the old 1st Choice locations with its trademark stagecoach image — one remarkably similar to Centennial’s and one which, after all, preceeds the Centennial design by about a century.

Now, with the two banks operating in such close proximity, the slow-simmering trademark war has become hotter. But a truce was inked long before Wells Fargo’s move into the region, and its provisions apparently mean the two stagecoaches must coexist, at least for a while.

Centennial President and CEO Bill Farr doesn’t talk about the settlement — because he can’t.

“Yes, there is a deal,” Farr said. “But part of the deal is an agreement not to talk about it.”

But others who say they know something of the details tell the Eye that Centennial will give up the coach logo by April 2002.

Meanwhile, the two coaches will ride, and collide, as Wells Fargo converts its 1st Choice acquisitions to the new brand this week and branch-happy Centennial opens new locations.

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