Isetann Department Store, Inc. (or simply Isetann) is one of the larger retail operators in Metro Manila, Philippines. It was incorporated under this name in 1980 by Chinese-Filipino entrepreneurs Jorge Go and John Gobenghuy to operate Isetann commercial shopping centers and commercial spaces within the compound of their properties.
Joymart[]
19??–1980[]
LOGO MISSING
UNKNOWN YEAR
Isetann was founded as a retailer called Joymart. As the business failed to find success, they adopted a similar name and logo to the Japanese retailer Isetan.
Isetann Department Store[]
1980–present[]
Designer:
Unknown
Typography:
Custom
Launched:
July 27, 1980
Isetan was prompted to file a petition through the Philippine Patent Office on November 28, 1980 to cancel the “Isetann Department Store” trademark registration due to the similarity. On November 15, 1991, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Philippine store, stating that the Japanese corporation failed to prove that “Isetan" was internationally well-known, and is therefore not protected in the Philippines. The court said that because the firm did not offer services marketed in the country, the Philippines-only “Isetann” would cause no conflict with the Japan and Singapore-only "Isetan".
In 2019, 3 of its branches were ordered to close by the Manila City Government due to "operating beyond its business permit", “misrepresentation of actual business area” and “questionable number of employees,” according to the city's Bureau of Permits' memorandum.
