An upscale boutique in Anchorage, Alaska is forced to change its name following an unexpected cease-and-desist letter it received from a Los Angeles-based thrift store chain with the same name. The trademark issue broke out after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin mentioned the store’s name in an interview.

According to reports, Out of the Closet owner Ellen Arvold received the order and made the changed effectively last Saturday, in time for the store’s fifth anniversary. Arvold said that the decision was made in a snap because they don’t want to go through legal resources, saying that they don’t have the resources to battle it out.

Palin, who ran as the running mate of John McCain in the recent U.S. elections, reportedly spent $150,000 for her outfit alone, the Republican Party shouldered the expenses.

In an interview last October, Palin mentioned that her favorite store was an Alaska-based store called “Out of the Closet.” This interview was seen by Ged Kenslea, who’s the owner of the thrift store chain with the same name in L.A.

Kenslea, also a spokesman for AIDS Healthcare Foundation, said that he would not have discovered that another store is bearing the same name had he not watched the interview.

Kenslea said that a lot of resources have been spend for the branding of the “Out of the Closet” brand name and stressed that Arvold was very gracious and agreed to make the name change.