After 10 Years, Minn. Business Makes Emotional Name Change
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Minnesota business that has stores throughout the country is about to get a new name.
Hot Mama will change its name Monday, but WCCO got a peak at the new logo Sunday night.
Not to mention an explanation of the surprising reason behind the change, and what it means to an owner so closely connected to the original name.
Few owners are more linked to their brands than Hot Mama founder Megan Tamte, who's always been her best focus group.
"You're like me, you can go to work and shop at the same time. That's love about my job! I never feel guilty," Tamte said.
But after expanding her stores to 18-states nationwide, she realized the 10-year-old name was holding them back.
"So when people hear Hot Mama they think maternity, and we are not a maternity store," Tamte said.
And a growing company can't afford that kind of confusion.
So, with an increasing internet presence, and aggressive expansion plans, Hot Mama set out to find something that better fit the brand.
"It was really important to me that we found a name that had a connection to what we're all about - which is moms," Tamte said.
They spent six months on the re-branding process, going through thousands of names, and came up with EverEve.
"The name feels powerful, it feels strong, it feels feminine," Tamte said.
She gave WCCO a sneak peak at the new logo, which goes on their new, beefed-up website tomorrow.
Still, she has 10-years invested in the old name.
Megan and husband Mike worked side-by-side to make her dream come true, so changing the names on all 50 stores will be emotional.
And it will take time.
They'll put the new sign on the original Edina, Minn. store around Labor Day.
But Megan assures me, that's all they'll change.
The styles, quality and service will remain the same.
"We are still going to offer the same personalized styling experience. We're changing our name to EverEve, and that really is the only change," Tamte said.
