BERKELEY COUNTY — A sushi chain with three locations in Charleston County says it is getting a raw deal from a Moncks Corner competitor with a similar name and menu.
On Sept. 14, Locals Sushi & Sports Pub — which has restaurants in Mount Pleasant, James Island and West Ashley — filed a lawsuit against Rollin Local, a recently-opened restaurant at 108 State Road, according to Berkeley County court records.
Rollin Local also has another location at 732 Front St., Georgetown. The two-location business used to be a food truck.
The two restaurant groups ended up in a row after Rollin Local opened with a similar name in the same market. Locals Sushi & Sports Pub alleges that its competitor engaged in “unfair and deceptive trade practices” with this move and further confused customers by offering similar menu fare, the lawsuit states.
Locals Sushi & Sports Bar’s “Charleston Roll” and Moncks Corner’s Rollin Local’s “Competition Roll” both include yellowtail, cream cheese, jalapeno, asparagus and avocado, and both are topped with “sweet mango” and “sweet chili sauce,” according to the filing. Additionally, the “Charleston Roll” is topped with “crispy onions,” while the “Competition Roll” is topped with “fried onions.”
Another wrap against Rollin Local is that it allegedly hired its competitor’s former workers, who came armed with knowledge of Locals Sushi & Sports Pub’s menu and recipes, the lawsuit states. The suit accuses Rollin Local of engaging in fishy practices designed to “trade upon Plaintiff’s established goodwill and business identity.”
Locals Sushi & Sports Pub has been around since 2009, while the Moncks Corner Rollin Local opened in May. The latter’s flagship location debuted in 2017.
In May, Locals Sushi & Sports Bar sent a written letter to Rollin Local in Moncks Corner, demanding that it cease and desist use of its trade name and “any confusingly similar variation thereof,” according to the filing. Moncks Corner’s Rollin Local refused to do so, the filing said.
Locals Sushi & Sports Bar alleges that the ongoing dispute is causing the chain harm to its reputation and business. The suit seeks unspecified damages as well as payment of its legal fees.
Neither Locals Sushi & Sports Bar nor Rollin Local responded to a request for comment by The Post and Courier.
The case’s trial is scheduled to begin Apr. 12, 2027, according to the court records.
