Indianapolis, IN
Hot girl feud: Trademark disputes forces Indianapolis walking group to change name
Can the concept of a walk with your friends be trademarked?
That question is at the center of a legal dispute involving an Indianapolis woman.
The organizer of a popular Indianapolis walking club, Casey Springer, has been sued by TikTok influencer, Mia Lind, for allegedly using her trademarked brand without permission, business disparagement and defamation. Lind began promoting the idea of a women-only mental health walk during the pandemic and branded it as “Hot Girl Walk.”
Springer said she was inspired by the California-based Lind to create Hot Girl Walk Indianapolis but did not want to partner with the company because of differing values. For one, she did not like Hot Girl Walk’s partnership with Weight Watchers, which she said could hurt some of the Indianapolis participants who suffered from eating disorders. From there, the conflict grew. Springer accused Lind of trying to shut down a local walking club that was free to the community. Lind accused Springer of disparaging and harassing her and her company and encouraging her followers do the same, according to the lawsuit.
“When I created Hot Girl Walk, I never expected something like this to happen,” Lind said in a statement. “Ms. Springer’s words and actions are very scary, and this was my only choice to protect me, my family, and my company.”
Springer said her negative comments were made in a private chat with her friends, which someone later leaked to Lind and she said she never intended for her words to go beyond a small group.
“I was venting with my galpals,” Springer said. “That’s all it was.”
The story has all the trappings of a modern day digital feud — a viral TikTok post that birthed a company, accusations of trolling and doxing and a fight over a bubbly pink brand. But the heart of the conflict, what is trademarked and what is fair use, is nothing new.
The story really begins with ‘Hot Girl Summer,’ a 2019 banger by Megan Thee Stallion that carved out a permanent spot in Millennial and Gen Z vernacular. The idea of the hot girl — who exudes confidence and spunk no matter the struggles in life — took off.
Then Lind, a University of Southern California student or @exactlyliketheothergirls, shared a “hot” weight loss tip on TikTok in 2021.
“If you want to know how I went from *this* to *this,” she says in the video as before and after weight loss photos flashed. “Listen up. This is for you.”
Hot Girl Walk
That was the start of Hot Girl Walk, a four-mile walk during which participants are encouraged to think about their achievements, goals and feel confident. As many as tens of thousands women have joined Lind on her walks.
Lind later trademarked the term and launched a business that organizes walks from Los Angeles to New York to Miami. It’s Barbie meets athleisure, backed by big brands like Reebok, Lululemon and Weight Watchers.
Lind’s company now also sells merchandise, from hats to hoodies.
“Being hot isn’t about what you look like but it’s everything to do with what comes from the inside out,” Lind said in a recent TV interview.
We Walk Indy
Last year, Springer, a Broad Ripple resident, launched a local walking club for “the Girls, Gays + Theys,” according to its website. The weekly walks are free, and organizers partner with local groups like Indianapolis Cultural Trail Inc. Springer said she doesn’t make money off the group.
Lind alleges that Springer first used the name Hot Girl Walk Indy before changing the group’s name to Hot Walk Indy last year, both of which she claims violates copyright laws, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.
The lawsuit also lays out allegations of online bullying by Springer and her supporters, including calling the merchandise “butt ugly” and “reporting false walks in the Bermuda triangle, Pangea, Antarctica, prisons, and/or islands where the inhabitants attack HOT GIRL WALK participants that come on the island,” according to the lawsuit.
Supporters of the local group accused Lind of being overly zealous in targeting a free community group.
On Tuesday, the local group changed its name on Instagram to We Walk Indy.
“At the end of the day, I’m just here to create an inclusive walking club for my community. I love my community and everything we stand for and have built together for the last year,” the Instagram account says. “No one can take that from us. No one.”
Binghui Huang can be reached at 317-385-1595 or Bhuang@gannett.com
ICYMI: Top 5 IndyStar business stories in May 2026
A busy month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway reignited debates about hotels and the downtown heliport. Plus, Eli Lilly celebrated 150 years.
May came and went, and with it, we saw the closest Indianapolis 500 finish in history, the 150th anniversary of Eli Lilly and a contested primary election day.
There’s also been some movement in retail news ahead of the summer shopping season. On the north side, a new women’s clothing store opened while a piercing studio set up shop in Speedway. Meanwhile, an indoor children’s play place opened on the near north side.
Read on for four spots that recently opened and one in Broad Ripple that said farewell.
Openings
Monkee’s
8659 River Crossing Blvd., monkeesofindianapolis.com, opened in March
Monkee’s of Indianapolis, a high-end women’s clothing store, opened recently on the north side in the Shops at River Crossing near the Fashion Mall. The brand Monkee’s started in the South three decades ago and has since grown to nearly 70 locations. In Indianapolis, Missy Llewellyn and Whitney Schmitt started the franchise to bring the clothing brand to the Circle City.
The Nest Play Cafe
515 E 22nd St Suite 101, indynestplaycafe.com, opened early May
The Nest Play Cafe opened at the corner of Central Avenue and 22nd Street, offering an indoor space for parents and caregivers to bring their children to play. Caregivers can book 90-minute play sessions for $15 per child over the age of one. Tickets for additional siblings run $10. The cafe sells coffee and snacks, too.
Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to noon. Closed Tuesdays.
Forget Me Not Piercing Studio
5324 W. 16th St., jessflowerspiercings.square.site, opened May 27
A new piercing studio opened in Speedway at the end of May just days after the Indianapolis 500. Forget Me Not Piercing offers traditional lobe, helix and conch piercings along with nostril and septum piercings. Artist Jess Flowers opened the one-woman shop on 16th Street.
Open Sunday and Thursday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Black Orchid Barbers Fountain Square
1201 Prospect St. Suite 100, blackorchidbarbers.com, opened in May
Black Orchid, a local barbershop known for its sharp haircuts with a side of humor, opened its Fountain Square spot, marking the company’s seventh brick-and-mortar location. Walk-ins are welcome but Black Orchid recommends grabbing a time slot online for your preferred service.
Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closures
Vitality IV Bar
6302 Guilford Ave., vitalityivbar.com
An IV-wellness spot in Broad Ripple shut its doors last month. Vitality IV Bar was located next to the Thieves cocktail lounge, formerly the Broad Ripple Starbucks location, before it went out of business.
Vitality IV still operates an Indianapolis-area location on Mass Ave downtown at 749 Massachusetts Ave where customers can book a variety of infusions with vitamins.
See a store opening or closing near you? Contact IndyStar reporter Alysa Guffey at alysa.guffey@indystar.com.
Forty-one names comprised the 11th layer of Springer’s “The Forgiving Sea VI,” an interactive painting that invites people to wr
Elizabeth Gabriel, Mirror Indy
(MIRROR INDY) — The Garfield Park Conservatory will host multiple family-friendly events throughout June. The events include plant shows, kid’s story time and Dollar Menu Night, which allows residents to harvest and eat veggies from a community garden.
Events at the Garfield Park Conservatory, 2505 Conservatory Drive, range in price and some require advance registration.
The Indianapolis Bonsai Club will have displays and answer questions about a variety of bonsai. Vendors will have items for purchase.
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 6, 1-5 p.m. June 7
🎟️ $7 per person, $15 per family (maximum of two adults per family)
Preschoolers ages 2-5 can participate in nature-themed storytime and crafts.
🗓️ 10-11 a.m. June 9
🎟️ $6 per child
Residents of all ages can harvest and eat veggies from Blakes’ Garden. Advance registration is preferred.
🗓️ 6-7 p.m. June 10
🎟️ $1 per person
Focused on ages 2-8, participants will listen to a nature-themed story and explore Blakes’ Garden. Attendees will relocate to a classroom if there’s inclement weather.
🗓️ 10 a.m. June 12
🎟️ Free
Up to 15 neighbors ages 10 and up will learn to ferment kimchi. Registration is required.
🗓️ 1-2 p.m. June 13
🎟️ $15 per person
Kids ages 2-5 can plant and harvest crops in the Children’s Garden. Registration is required.
🗓️ 11 a.m. to noon June 24
🎟️ $6 per child
The Indiana Insectivores will display tropical and native Indiana predator plants. Plants will also be available for purchase. Those who attend the plant show will also have free entry to the Predatory Plants Presentation 1-2 p.m. June 27.
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 27, 1-5 p.m. June 28
🎟️ $7 per person, $15 per family (maximum of two adults per family)
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Mirror Indy reporter Elizabeth Gabriel covers the south side of Marion County. Contact her at elizabeth.gabriel@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X at @_elizabethgabs.
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