VILLAGE FORCES COFFEE SHOP TO CHANGE NAME

When Gloria Weiss named her business "Colombian Connection," she hoped
to evoke an image of an inviting coffee shop.

But to a village trustee in Arlington Heights, "Colombian Connection"
conjures up images of illegal drugs smuggled into the United States.

Trustee Virginia Z. Kucera persuaded other trustees Monday to require
the shop to change its name before it could open downtown.

To area residents of Colombian descent, Kucera's actions "reinforced
negative images about our country," said Carmenza Millan, a board
member for a Chicago group that promotes Colombian culture. "It speaks
to an irrational fear those two words evoke in some people."

But Kucera said, "When I think of Colombia, that brings a connotation
of drugs. I don't think that's stereotyping."

It is the first time Arlington Heights officials can recall requiring
a name change. But village attorney Jack Siegel said any downtown
business needs a special-use permit, giving the village the right to
attach conditions.

In the end, Weiss agreed to change the name to "Colombian Coffee
Connection."

The entrepreneur from Buffalo Grove already had paid a graphic artist
"several thousand dollars" to design a logo. Wednesday, she was
seeking quotes to change the logo.

"I really like the name," she said. "I was so surprised to hear their
concern, but as long as we can open up and get in there, I'll change
it."

Colombian native Henry Moya, a promoter of Hispanic events in Chicago,
said the case was disappointing. "It's quite sad that at the beginning
of the 21st century, we have a government entity that could only think
of the beautiful country of Colombia in the negative connotations of
the war on drugs."