Beloved truck stop and roadside attraction Buc-ee’s is catching some heat after going after a small convenience store chain in Beavercreek, Ohio. The issue? The store’s mascot looks suspiciously like the iconic Buc-ee’s beaver, according to WLWT.
And the Beavercreek store isn’t the only one with a target on it. ABC News reports that Buc-ee’s also filed suit against several other stores in 2026, taking issue with several different mascots that lawyers argue could be confused with the famous Buc-ee’s beaver, Bucky.
As a result, the trademark infringement lawsuit is stirring up trouble in more than just Ohio, and the story has even made national headlines thanks to comedian John Oliver, who covered the company’s extensive legal pursuits on an August episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. It seems the Texas-based company’s litigious nature is growing old with some, prompting calls for a boycott.
It sounds like Buc-ee’s has been going after these smaller stores as the chain breaks into the Ohio market, but based on some of the reactions online, Bucky may soon find himself rodent non grata if the company keeps this up.
Buc-ee’s Has Messed With the Wrong Beaver
Buc-ee’s Ltd. filed legal paperwork against Beaver’s Mini Mart over the company’s mascot towards the end of July 2026. The decision to go after the smaller store (and other stores in the state) has sparked backlash online, prompting many people to weigh in—Oliver even teased the company, daring it to sue him as well.
But the people of Beavercreek aren’t taking this lawsuit lying down, and the town has rallied around the local store. ABC News says the city council even weighed in on the legal trouble, passing a resolution to make the store’s beaver part of its more than 200-year history, with a unanimous vote.
A GoFundMe Was Started for the Targets
The David vs. Goliath story has stirred up a lot of feelings online, and people are doing everything from creating memes about the story to starting GoFundMe accounts to help cover legal expenses, with one effort raising $69,000, according to ABC News.
But beavers haven’t been the only target of the massive chain, which already has one massive new stop outside of Dayton, with another Ohio location approved to open in 2028. Instead, it sounds like any mascots featuring woodland creatures have become a target, even those who can’t possibly be confused with Bucky himself.
On Friday, my wife and I went to Detroit. Along the way, we stopped at Beaver Mini Mart in Beaver Creek and Buc-ee’s in Huber Heights. I thought it would be fun to act like I could not tell the difference between a dink mom and pop vs. a gargantuan corporate store…
👉BTW,… pic.twitter.com/McVV774VvB— Chris Hicks (@TheWatchdogWire) August 23, 2026
A National Boycott May Be on the Horizon
WLWT says Buc-ee’s filed the lawsuits, citing concerns that the other logos could cause “confusion among customers,” but so far people seem very clear on their feelings about the massive chain.
On X, multiple people have shared their support of Buc-ee’s. One man posted a video of himself visiting a Huber Heights Buc-ee’s store and planning to visit the Beaver Mini Mart, captioning the clip to say they opted not to purchase anything at the massive chain. “My wife and I are in the ‘boycott Buc-ee’s until they let up on the little guys’ camp,” he wrote.
And he’s not alone; several different social media platforms had “boycott Buc-ee’s” hashtags going, proving just how popular the idea has become online. Of course, whether it makes a difference in the legal team’s approach to these mascots remains to be seen.