…apparently a lot.

Before I get started on this little story, let me mention that there is no disrespect for those who have been affected by this incident.

Saturday in Manhattan, a construction crane collapsed.  It damaged at least 2 or 3 buildings as it fell, killing several people and injuring multiple others.  One building suffered the worst damage in that it was completely destroyed by the rigging of the crane landing on it.  In that building was a bar, that fortunately was not occupied at the time of the accident.  It is this bar, however, that brings us to the title of this post.

Long ago, I learned that naming your business can be key to the success you have.  A well chosen name that is recognizable can do as much for your business as hiring a high-class marketing firm.  Companies spend fortunes on promoting their name.  Sometimes a company will stumble across a name that instantly is recognizable for what they do and word of mouth gains makes them a household name. Other times, the name of the business can be difficult to relate to what a business does.  This actually kills business because people can’t easily find you.

There is one other class of business names that causes me to cringe.  These are the names that you know someone was on drugs or drunk when they chose it.  It is this kind of business name that usually draws media attention, either due to its off-the-wall innuendo or because the name attracts a type of client that the local area doesn’t really appreciate. 

So far, I haven’t seen or heard anyone make the connection to the construction crane accident and the name of the bar that was crushed.  The name of the bar was FUBAR.  Yes, FUBAR!  How ironic is it that the FUBAR BAR was totally destroyed by the crane coming through the roof.  For those who haven’t heard the expression, FUBAR is an acronym for F$%&’d Up Beyond All Recognition.  A name quite fitting to the current state of the liquor establishment that now has a crane sitting in its basement.

While I wish the family and friends of all those affected by this disaster, a quick recovery and express my condolences to the families of those who were lost, I can not help but wonder how much of a role fate played in the naming of that bar and the location where the crane came to rest.  Just a thought.