Buc-ee's Fight With Beaver's Mini Mart Becomes National News!

A small Dayton, Ohio area store become a David taking on a Goliath.

The Buc-ee's camp is defending its actions against local stores that have mascots that the company claims is intimidating the iconic Buc-ee's Beaver.

It has a store in Huber Heights, Ohio becoming a landmark. It got John Oliver's attention.

On Hanes Road, in Beavercreek, a prominent suburb of Dayton, Ohio, Beaver's Mini Mart has become embroiled in a trademark lawsuit. Buc-ee's located in Huber Heights about 10 miles away opened in April. The company took three years and a lot of controversy to build its location.

The location is on Ohio State Route 235 at Interstate 70 at the edge of Montgomery County. Buc-ee's plans on opening another location in Mansfield in 2029.

Arch Aplin III, owner of Buc-ee’s, said the matter could have been avoided altogether.

Huber Heights, Ohio, Mayor Jeff Gore spoke with Aplin about the lawsuit and revealed details from that conversation in a Facebook post.

Gore said that he was told that the owner of Beaver Mini Mart seeks to trademark Beavermart at the federal level. Gore said he was told that this trademark filing was made after Buc-ee’s announced its Huber Heights location.

“Mr Aplin told me directly that Buc-ee’s had no issues with Beavermart using the Beaver logo in Beavercreek. He understood and said that makes sense. What Buc-ee’s did not want was a series of Beavermarts popping up across the state or regionally or eventually nationally that violated their trademark.”

Gore said that Aplin has sent emails and mailings to attempt a resolution but reportedly only recently received a response from the Mini Mart.

Buc-ee's is a major attraction in Dayton area.

The lawsuit between the two entities has become a national headline, as many, including Beavercreek community members and Ohio state leaders, have rallied behind the small business. A GoFundMe for the business has raised over $45,000 as of this publication.

The suit argues that the Mini Mart’s beaver, with its “wide eyes and a smile” that also “uses red as a predominant color,” is too similar to Buc-ee’s and could cause confusion.

This is not the first of such claims from the travel center chain, as it has sued several other businesses state and nationwide.

Bryan Schroll, a legal expert at Cedarville University, said most businesses end up settling and changing their logo.

A cash mob was happening Friday in Beavercreek. The community-hosted event urged residents to buy at least $20 worth of items from the Mini Mart, with organizers saying that it brings back a community tradition.