A trademark infringement lawsuit filed by Buc-ee’s, the popular Texas convenience store chain, against a small Ohio mini-mart named Beaver’s Mini Mart has ignited public backlash and drawn criticism from the state's governor. The dispute centers on the chain's aggressive protection of its buck-toothed beaver mascot, a symbol it has used to defend against numerous challenges.
Buc-ee’s sued Beaver’s Mini Mart in late July, approximately four months after the chain opened its first Ohio store, located less than 30 miles away. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Ohio, argues that the mini-mart's beaver logo too closely resembles Buc-ee’s own branded beaver, known as “Bucky.”
The Buc-ee’s logo features the face of a beaver with prominent buck teeth, wearing a red ball cap against a yellow background. Beaver’s Mini Mart’s mascot is depicted as a full, unclothed beaver, waving and smiling against a white background.
The city of Beavercreek, where the mini-mart is located, responded by passing a resolution on August 10th, officially recognizing the beaver as an integral part of its more than 200-year history. The local schools' mascot, Bucky the Beaver, was present at the meeting before the vote.
Public support for Beaver’s Mini Mart has manifested in various ways. A GoFundMe campaign to help cover the mini-mart’s legal expenses has raised at least $69,000. Local bakeries have created cookies featuring buck-toothed beavers with slogans like “shop local,” with a portion of proceeds going to support Beaver’s legal fees. Other businesses in the Dayton area, including a Lego store and a root beer shop, temporarily altered their logos to include beavers in a show of solidarity.
John Oliver, host of HBO's "Last Week Tonight," also addressed the controversy on his show, detailing Buc-ee’s history of trademark lawsuits and launching a website selling merchandise with a parody logo. The hashtag #boycottbucees trended on social media platform X.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who had attended the grand opening of the Buc-ee's store near Dayton in April, called the lawsuit “absurd.”
Buc-ee’s has defended its legal action, stating in a website announcement that it first became aware of Beaver’s Mini Mart when its owner, Vic Boparai, filed a trade name registration on October 23. According to company statements, the mini-mart, incorporated in 2017, changed its name from Hanes Road Carryout to Beaver’s Mini Mart in January 2025. Buc-ee’s claims it attempted to contact Boparai after recognizing a potential conflict but was unsuccessful, leaving them with no choice but to sue.
Boparai issued a statement thanking the community and the country for their support. The Associated Press has been unable to reach Boparai directly for comment.
This is not the first time Buc-ee’s has pursued legal action over logos featuring animals. Before opening its first Ohio store, the company sued the holding company for Mickey Mart gas stations in northern Ohio, arguing that its Mickey the Moose logo could be confused with Buc-ee’s branding. The response from Mickey Mart was, “A moose is not a beaver.”
Beaver’s Mini Mart is a small, long, low building with a shingle roof. In contrast, the new Buc-ee's store near Dayton is a 74,000-square-foot facility with over 100 gas pumps, 24 EV chargers, and 700 parking spaces. A second Buc-ee’s store in Ohio has been approved to open in 2028.