Ohio community backs local mini-mart in dispute with Buc-ee’s over beaver logo
A Texas convenience-store chain sued Beaver’s Mini Mart in Ohio over a similar beaver logo, prompting a local backlash, a city resolution and fundraising efforts to support the small business.
Buc-ee’s, a Texas-based convenience-store chain, filed a federal trademark infringement lawsuit in late July against Beaver’s Mini Mart in Beavercreek, Ohio, alleging that the mini-mart’s beaver logo is too similar to its own buck-toothed beaver design. The suit comes months after Buc-ee’s opened its first Ohio location near Dayton and sought a jury trial in federal court.
Local residents and businesses quickly rallied to the mini-mart’s defense. A city council resolution on Aug. 10 declared the beaver an official part of Beavercreek’s history, and a GoFundMe campaign raised more than $69,000 to cover legal costs. Several Dayton-area merchants altered their own branding to feature beavers in solidarity, and local bakeries sold cookies with a portion of proceeds earmarked for the lawsuit.
"I love Buc-ee’s, but I don’t plan on going back until they start making better business decisions," said Austin Collins, a Fairborn project manager who protested outside the store.
"It is Beavercreek, for heaven’s sake," Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine told reporters, calling the lawsuit "absurd."
Buc-ee’s said it first learned of the mini-mart’s trade name registration in October and that repeated attempts to contact owner Vic Boparai were unsuccessful, prompting the legal action. Boparai issued a statement thanking the community for its support but did not address the merits of the case.
The dispute has drawn national attention, including commentary on a late-night television program that highlighted Buc-ee’s history of trademark lawsuits against other animal-themed logos.