Monday, February 6, 2017

Restoration Hardware accuses Crate and Barrel of stealing trade secrets; Chicago Tribune, 1/31/17

Ally Marotti, Chicago Tribune; Restoration Hardware accuses Crate and Barrel of stealing trade secrets

"Now Restoration Hardware is trying to stop Crate and Barrel from opening a food and beverage operation in any of its stores for a year.

Crate and Barrel "effectively sought to steal a page from the successful RH playbook," using inside information such as how to sell coffee and wine in the same store in which customers buy stemware and settees, the suit alleges.

Also named as defendants were Crate and Barrel CEO Douglas Diemoz and another top executive, Kimberly Ahlheim, both former Restoration Hardware executives who are accused of stealing trade secrets and breaching contracts with their former employer.
The gallery's planning took years and was risky, court documents say. For much of that time, Diemoz, though based in California, was involved in the company's new business initiatives. The lawsuit says he signed an agreement when he left Restoration Hardware, agreeing not to use the company's proprietary information and not to recruit employees for at least a year."

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