Buc-ee’s suing small Ohio business over cartoon beaver depiction
A show of small-business solidarity is popping up in Ohio—one beaver at a time. A handful of businesses have begun temporarily adding cartoon beavers to their logos after Texas-based travel center…
A show of small-business solidarity is popping up in Ohio—one beaver at a time. BROUGHT TO YOU BYA 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 againstBeaver’s Mini Mart, a longtime convenience store in Beavercreek, just east of Dayton. Photo via GoFundMe in support of Beaver’s Mini MartOne to join the movement isThe 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. Photo via The Root Beer StandeRabbit 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. ”Photo via Rabbit Hole BooksBuc-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 ofLast Week Tonightto 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 yearabout 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 issueshere!