Buc-ee’s suing small Ohio business over cartoon beaver depiction. Again
A show of small-business solidarity is popping up in Ohio—one beaver at a time.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
A handful of businesses have begun temporarily adding cartoon beavers to their logos after Texas-based travel center giant Buc-ee’s filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Beaver’s Mini Mart, a longtime convenience store in Beavercreek, just east of Dayton.
One to join the movement is The Root Beer Stande, a Dayton-area institution, which shared an updated version of its logo featuring a smiling beaver holding a frosty mug.
“Looks like we need a beaver on the sign! Stand with small business!” the restaurant wrote in a Facebook post.
Rabbit Hole Books—also in Dayton—posted a photo of a beaver, adding the words: “Come and get us Buc-ee’s. You don’t own every beaver.”
Hot Head Burritos said, “Apparently every local logo needs a beaver now, so welcome to Hot Head Burrito-ees. Our lawyers are currently on lunch.”
Buc-ee’s alleges Beaver’s Mini Mart’s smiling beaver logo and branding are too similar to its own iconic beaver mascot and could confuse customers. The company is asking a federal court to prevent the Beavercreek business from continuing to use its current branding.
Beaver’s Mini Mart has served the Dayton area for years. Buc-ee’s opened its first Ohio location earlier this year in nearby Huber Heights, roughly 20 minutes from Beavercreek.
Just days before the lawsuit was filed, HBO host John Oliver devoted part of an episode of Last Week Tonight to Buc-ee’s history of aggressively defending its trademarks. Oliver joked that the company doesn’t “own all cartoon rodents,” unveiled a parody brand called “Buc-Off” and challenged Buc-ee’s to sue him. 614NOW reported earlier this year about similar legal efforts made by Buc–ee’s.
Want to read more? Check out our print publications, (614) Magazine and Stock & Barrel. Learn where you can find free copies of our newest issues here!
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
