Stonebridge Companies, an Englewood-based hotel company, and Denver bar owner Bill Ward don't want to share a piece of the "Pi."

Ward, the 32-year-old owner of Slim 7 in Larimer Square, has his new pizza place called Pi under construction in the basement of the courtyard next to Bistro Vendome. Problem is that Stonebridge, the owner of the new Hilton Garden Inn at 14th and Welton streets opened Pi Kitchen + Bar on Thursday.

With two weeks left before the expected opening of Ward's Pi, he received a letter from legal heavyweights Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, representing Stonebridge, telling Ward to relinquish the Pi name and mathematical symbol used in his logo . . . or else.

"Two months ago, I was told there was another Pi opening up, but I had registered the name with the secretary of state, the city and on my liquor license," Ward said. "Their Pi restaurant is a pizza place as well, and their logo is the Pi symbol with a circle around it - a weird coincidence."

A coincidence that Howard Pollack, the Brownstein Hyatt partner representing Stonebridge, wants to end.

"This whole idea behind Pi is to possibly put it in other hotels around the country. Because of that we felt like we needed to properly trademark the name, which we've done," Pollack said. "(Stonebridge) has spent a lot of money and time in doing all the right things to develop the mark and the concept. It's probably going to be a national concept at this point."

Pollack says his client is being portrayed as the big bad bully trying to "put pressure on a poor little bar owner" when Stonebridge acted in good faith when it went through the proper federal channels to protect the Pi name.

But Ward says he feels like the 90-pound weakling getting sand kicked in his face by a muscle-bound corporation.

"It was like they are saying, 'Sorry, we're going to beat you,' " Ward said. On Friday, Ward was contacting a trademark attorney to see where he stands legally.

CHEERS: Maloney's Tavern, which bills itself as a bar "where everybody knows your name," is moving in to the old Tommy Tsunami/Tom Tom Room/Bara Sushi space at 1432 Market St. Maloney's, owned by Mastro's, the Scottsdale-based steakhouse family that recently sold its high-end holdings, will open in October, construction willing.

"It's a large format, upscale neighborhood bar," said Larimer Square boss Joe Vostrejs. "They serve lunch and dinner seven days a week, and have a very active bar scene. This is a fantastic happy hour bar."

The menu runs the gamut from sandwiches to fish and chips to steak and pasta. "I think it's going to be a nice addition," Vostrejs said.

RITTER RADIO: Want to know what rocks Gov. Bill Ritter's world? Find out when he appears at 9 this morning on G. Brown's Palace on KCUV-FM (102.3). Brown picks prominent people and musicians to DJ for an hour, and it turns out the Guv likes countrified Americana, including Johnny Cash and Jimmy Dean. With Colorado Day recently observed, he'll pick some special state songs such as Townes Van Zandt's Colorado Girl.

EAVESDROPPING on two men at Tambien talking about a male friend who recently turned 45: "He looks great. He's the Dick Clark of Denver."

"He looks that good because he's already embalmed."

Penny Parker's column appears Tuesday through Saturday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail parkerp@RockyMountainNews.com.