BEAVERCREEK, Ohio (WOWO) — Buc-ee’s is suing another Ohio small business over a trademark dispute involving a cartoon beaver logo, sparking a debate over the limits of brand protection and the impact on small businesses.
The Texas-based travel center chain filed a lawsuit against Beaver’s Mini Mart in Beavercreek, alleging the business’s mascot is too similar to Buc-ee’s well-known beaver character and could create confusion among customers.
According to the lawsuit, Buc-ee’s claims Beaver’s Mini Mart’s cartoon mascot shares similarities with its own character, including “wide eyes and a smile” and the use of red as a dominant color.
The Beavercreek store is located about 16 miles from Buc-ee’s first Ohio location in Huber Heights, which opened earlier this year.
Customers of Beaver’s Mini Mart say the local business has been part of the community for decades, while Buc-ee’s only recently entered the Ohio market.
“Reading into it more that Buc-ee’s has gone after other companies over this… It just put a bad taste in my mouth because they just seem like such a fun company,” Beavercreek resident Sam Bryan told WDTN. “To see this, that they’re coming after a small business like this, it upset me like it did a lot of Beavercreek residents.”
Community members have organized efforts to support Beaver’s Mini Mart, including an all-day cash mob encouraging customers to spend money at the store. A fundraising effort has also been launched to help the business with legal expenses.
Buc-ee’s and Beaver’s Mini Mart have both been contacted for comment according to NBC4 Columbus.
The lawsuit is the latest trademark dispute involving Buc-ee’s and businesses using animal-themed logos.
Earlier this year, Buc-ee’s sued the Ohio-based owner of Mickey Mart after the company announced plans to change its name to Mickey’s. The smaller chain has used a moose mascot since at least 2020.
The disputes have also drawn national attention after comedian John Oliver discussed Buc-ee’s trademark lawsuits on his HBO program “Last Week Tonight.”
During the segment, Oliver criticized Buc-ee’s legal actions and challenged the company to pursue a lawsuit against him. He created merchandise featuring a parody logo and the phrase “Buc-off,” with proceeds reportedly benefiting Hunger Free America.
Oliver said the merchandise was not affiliated with Buc-ee’s and encouraged the company to respond if it believed its trademarks were being violated.
Buc-ee’s has previously filed lawsuits involving businesses and brands it says have infringed on its trademarks. Some cases have resulted in settlements, while others have continued through legal proceedings.
The dispute with Beaver’s Mini Mart remains ongoing, with the court expected to determine whether the business’s logo creates a likelihood of confusion with Buc-ee’s trademarked branding.
