Buc-ee's sues Ohio mini-mart over alleged trademark conflict

Buc-ee's, the Texas-based convenience-store chain, filed a federal lawsuit on July 28 against Beaver's Mini Mart, a small corner store in Beavercreek, Ohio, alleging that the store's name and beaver logo could confuse customers and violate Buc-ee's federally registered trademark. The chain’s CEO, Arch Aplin, told a Dayton television station and Huber Heights Mayor Jeff Gore that the mini-mart had attempted to register the name "Beavermart" at the federal level months before Buc-ee's announced its Huber Heights location.

Records obtained by the newspaper show that the mini-mart owner, Vik Boparai, filed a state-level trade-name application for "Beavers Mini Mart" in October 2025, not a federal trademark. Boparai said the sign bearing the name has been in place since 2019, well before Buc-ee's opened in the area, and that the filing was required by his bank to process credit-card payments.

"It is that simple. We hope Buc-ee's will drop their lawsuit soon," Boparai said in a statement.

Buc-ee's attorney Jeff Nadalo said the chain attempted to contact Boparai twice by FedEx in March and April and made an in-person delivery on June 11, but received no response. The lawsuit argues that the mini-mart’s logo—a smiling beaver in red lettering—resembles Buc-ee's own cartoon beaver branding and could mislead shoppers.

The legal action has drawn criticism from local businesses, politicians and Ohio’s governor, and has generated extensive discussion on social media. Boparai, who runs four employees at the family-owned store, expressed surprise at the dispute and noted the community’s unexpected support.

"We could never have anticipated this situation developing and could not have imagined the support from the entire community," he said.