Charged Up, Richmond Brave: A Community Brand’s Legal Battle and Triumph

When Charged Up Entertainment was formed, the founders had no idea of the magnitude of the impact the brand would make. And when the Charged Up store opened, no one could have predicted the bonds that would be created or the people who would come to call it home. The Charged Up store has become a place of solace for many — a space for healing through music, the arts, and community engagement. For countless individuals, it’s become a hub, a safe space, and a platform that has opened its doors to numerous small, minority, and women-owned businesses, even hosting pop-up events at no charge to help spotlight other brands in the community.

As the Charged Up brand’s influence continued to grow, others outside of RVA began to take notice as well. The brand grew so prominent that the Cleveland Guardians baseball team became aware of it too. Story here. In 2022, while Charged Up was awaiting approval on a logo it had used since 2015 from the United States Patent & Trademark Office, the Cleveland Guardians Baseball Company LLC filed an objection to the request. This meant that the Charged Up logo wasn’t protected — leaving it vulnerable to anyone hoping to impersonate Charged Up Entertainment.

For three years, Charged Up Entertainment fought not just to protect its brand, but to defend the community it built around it. Finally, in December 2024, the Cleveland Guardians agreed to step back, and both parties reached an agreement allowing the Charged Up logo to be officially trademarked. While the legal battle is over, the store still faces lingering legal fees that must be resolved in order to continue operating.

Studies show that most minority-owned businesses fail within the first five years — but this store, this brand, has become a staple of the Richmond community. Now, we need your help to ensure it continues to thrive. A GoFundMe has been created to help cover these costs.

Please consider donating and helping the Charged Up family continue the important work they’ve started.