Texas convenience store chain Buc-ee’s has filed another lawsuit this year against a competitor.
Buc-ee’s is suing Missouri-based Barc-ee’s for trademark infringement, according to a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court Western District of Missouri Southern Division.
Barc-ee’s, which is temporarily closed, according to its website, describes itself as “a unique stop with coffee & food, a dog yard, and a kids’ western-themed mini city.”
Its owner, John Lopez, acknowledged the lawsuit and other troubles for the business on social media.
BUC-EE’S SUES SMALLER GAS STATION CHAIN FOR COPYRIGHT, ARGUING CARTOON DOG LOGO IS TOO SIMILAR TO ITS BEAVER
“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,” he said in a March 24 Facebook post. “My legal team believes we are not legally infringing on any trademarks.”
“The remarks from a legal team that specializes in trademarks also believe that I could win if it went to trial, but it may not be worth the fight,” he continued. “Beavers are cunning creatures. Very rare does a small dog go into a fight with a big beaver and come out on top.”
Just days earlier, he posted that the Marshfield, Missouri, location was temporarily closed for a “glow-up.”
BUC-EE’S OPENS LARGEST STORE SPANNING 75,000 SQUARE FEET WITH 120 GAS PUMPS
The lawsuit, obtained by FOX Business, says Barc-ee’s “purposefully advertised, marketed, promoted, offered for sale, sold, distributed, manufactured, and/or imported, and continue to advertise, market, promote, offer for sale, sell, distribute, manufacture, and/or import, products and services in a manner that violates Buc-ee’s rights in Buc-ee’s Trademarks.”
The suit also alleges the name, curving word style and cartoon mascot of a “brown animal with a red tongue and black nose wearing a hat on a yellow circle with a black circular outline” mimics the Buc-ee’s trademarks.
There is a Buc-ee’s location in Springfield, Missouri, which is about 17 miles away from the address listed for Barc-ee’s. The Buc-ee’s Springfield location opened in December 2023, according to the city’s website.
“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 said in a statement to FOX Business. “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.”
Back in January, Buc-ee’s filed a lawsuit against Texas gas station Super Fuels on allegations of copyright infringement, claiming Super Fuels’ logo is too similar to the Buc-ee’s logo.
Buc-ee’s has more than 50 stores across Missouri, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Colorado, the lawsuit states.
FOX Business’ Landon Mion contributed to this report.
Read the full article here
