Not-so-friendly biz competition in Seattle area

Joe Kennedy, the publisher of Eastside Business, noted on his Web site that he recently received a subscription request from an administrative assistant at American City Business Journals, the parent company of competitor Puget Sound Business Journal and 40 other weekly business papers around the country.

Kennedy wrote that he turned down the subscription offer because of his past dealings with representatives from Charlotte-based ACBJ. He has been threatened by attorneys representing the chain. His paper was previously called the Bellevue Business Journal before changing its name last year.

He wrote, “To make a long story longer, here was my reply to the request for subscriptions to Eastside Business from a staffer at American City / Puget Sound Business Journal:

“That’s kind of funny Peggy – you wouldn’t even list the name of your company. I know why – last year your company sent your attorneys after us threatening legal action and this year you want to subscribe ….

“I don’t think so.

“Nobody over there even had the courtesy (or guts) to give me a call to talk before sending in the lawyers and I don’t want to do business with such an organization.”

“Even so, thank you for your interest in Eastside Business.”

Read more here.