Buc-ee's sues Missouri gas station for similar name, logo: This isn't the first time

USA Today

01-04-2025

Buc-ee's sues Missouri gas station for similar name, logo: This isn't the first time
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What's the big deal about Buc-ee's? We take a roadtrip to find out
Buc-ee's, a gas station convenience store chain founded in Texas in the 1980s, has developed a cult following online. Does it live up to the hype?
McClatchy - Raleigh News & Observer
A Texas-based gas station and convienence store known for its friendly beaver mascot is suing yet another business for trademark infringement.
On March 19, Buc-ee's filed a federal lawsuit against Barc-ee's, a business in southwest Missouri that offers a dog park, coffee and food shops and a Western-themed miniature city.
Buc-ee's claims that the unauthorized use of its trademarks, including a smiling animal mascot, will benefit the Missouri convenience store at Buc-ee's expense, while falsely informing consumers that the two businesses are related.
Here's what to know about the recently-filed lawsuit and others Buc-ee's has filed against small businesses throughout the country.
Why is Buc-ee's suing a Missouri convenience store?
Featuring sprawling gas pumps, large bathrooms and a countless array of Beaver-themed merchandise, Buc-ee's has trademarked its cartoon beaver logo and a plethora of retail products.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. Western District Court of Missouri, claims that the use of "Barc-ee's," in connection with merchandise and travel stop services using a "colorful imitation" of Buc-ee's trademark, is an infringement on the Texas-based business's rights.
Buc-ee's also alleges that the Barc-ee's logo, which features a cartoon dog inside a pink car, wearing a hat within a yellow circle background, "mimics important aspects of the iconic Buc-ee's logo." Specifically, Buc-ee's references its merchandise that feature its beaver riding inside a red truck.
The lawsuit also claims that Barc-ee's owner John Lopez was inspired by Buc-ee's for his business concept, referencing mention of the inspiration from a Barc-ee's news release before the convenience store opened.
"Buc-ee's has invested heavily in innovation across the company to provide the best quality products and experience for our customers," Buc-ee's General Counsel Jeff Nadalo said in a statement shared with USA TODAY on Tuesday. "Buc-ee's will not be an idle spectator while others infringe the intellectual property rights that Buc-ee's has worked so hard to develop."
On March 12, Barc-ee's announced on social media that it was temporarily closing due to "unexpected construction challenges." The convenience store, as of Tuesday, remained closed, as its owners assess next steps amid the lawsuit.
"Although I prefer my business challenges to come with a side of coffee rather than a court summons, this is just a part of the entrepreneur game," Lopez said in a social media statement on March 24. "My legal team believes we are not legally infringing on any trademarks. Very rare does a small dog go into a fight with a big beaver and come out on top."
What other businesses has Buc-ee's sued?
Missouri's Barc-ee's is one of many businesses that the Texas travel center has sued for trademark infringement.
January 2025: Super Fuels in Texas
Most recently, Buc-ee's filed a lawsuit against North Texas gas station Super Fuels, claiming that the Super Fuels' logo, which features a brown, smiling dog in a red cape set against a blue background, is too similar to Buc-ee's.
Buc-ee's alleges that Super Fuel's anthropomorphic, cartoon mascot could be confusing to consumers upon first glance.
"The vast majority of consumers encountering the infringing marks will consist of drivers who are actively operating motor vehicles and are thus incapable of providing anything beyond a brief glance at the infringing marks, which are displayed on the front façade of defendants' stores and on defendants' gas station canopies,' court documents state.
As of Tuesday, the lawsuit remained open.
2013: Chicks in Texas
In March 2013, Buc-ee's sued Texas-based convenience store Chicks, claiming that Chicks stemmed from similar concepts, including site and store design, product variety, construction and the logo.
Though the Chicks logo depicted two smiling chickens, back-to-back, against a red, yellow and black background, Buc-ee's claimed that the logo copied Buc-ee's "iconic marks," like color, shapes and fonts.
Though Chicks' lawyers moved to dismiss the complaint, Chicks ultimately closed in 2014.
2018: Choke Canyon in Texas
In 2018, Buc-ee's won a federal lawsuit against Choke Canyon, a travel center in South Texas. A jury found that Choke Canyon's alligator logo resembled Buc-ee's too closely, according to the Houston Chronicle. Choke Canyon remains open but with a different logo.
2023: Buk-II's Super Mercado in Mexico
In July 2023, an image of a Mexican convenience store called Buk-II's Super Marcado went viral on social media for its humorous replication of Buc-ee's iconic logo. But Buc-ee's didn't find the store funny.
Though Buc-ee's threatened legal action, none was taken.
Since, the Mexican convenience store has changed its name to Mini Super Buk-II's and changed its logo to a different rodent wearing a red shirt and sporting a mullet. According to Google, the convenience store is now closed.
2024: Missouri's Duckees
In November 2024, Buc-ee's filed a federal lawsuit against Duckees, a liquor store also located in southwest Missouri. Buc-ee's claimed that Duckees used a similar animal-centric logo on its merchandise −a cartoon duck wearing sunglasses in a green shirt and red bowtie, all inside of a yellow circle.
Buc-ee's claimed this logo uses "the most important aspects of the iconic Buc-ee's logo," by including a cartoon animal, a yellow circle as the background and prominent black edges for the mascot.
As of Tuesday, the lawsuit remained open.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at [e-mail].