Buc-ee’s sues another company, this time, a Georgia convenience store

Buc-ee’s, a Texas-based travel center chain known for its mall-sized stores, barbecue and beaver merchandise, is suing a small convenience store in Georgia, alleging brand infringement.

In a trademark lawsuit filed May 1 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Buc-ee’s accused convenience store Teddy’s Market, which has two stores in the state, of copying its mascot and branding strategy.

Buc-ee’s said Teddy’s built its brand around a smiling cartoon animal that resembles its own beaver, according to court records obtained by USA TODAY.

Buc-ee’s also claims that Teddy’s cartoon animal mascot resembles their beaver counterpart, with white eye highlights, a black nose, a faint pink tongue and a lighter color around the mouth, set within a red-accented geometric shape.

In addition to their similar appearance, Buc-ee claims the two names are too similar.

According to court records, “Buc-ee’s” and “Teddy’s” are two-syllable, six-letter possessives ending in an “eez” sound, which the gas station chain’s attorneys claim “is likely to cause confusion, error and/or deception among consumers in the relevant market (to the extent it has not already been caused) as to the source, affiliation and/or origin of Teddy’s goods and services.”

What do the Buc-ees want?

According to the complaint, Buc-ee’s is asking the court to force Teddy’s to stop using its existing brand, destroy any infringing materials and hand over profits earned from the brand.

In addition, Buc-ee’s is asking Teddy’s to pay three times its profits in damages and asking the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to reject four trademark applications filed by the Georgia-based company in May 2024.

Teddy Bear owner and operator Karan Ahuja told CBS News Atlanta that he disagreed with the allegations made in the lawsuit and declined further comment because the lawsuit is pending. As of May 6, online court records did not show a legal representative for Teddy’s Market.

Previous Buc-ee’s Lawsuits

This isn’t the first time Buc-ee’s has sued a company, accusing it of copying its famous beaver mascot and overall brand.

In February, Buc-ee’s sued Coles IP Holdings, LLC, which owns Ohio convenience store and gas station chain Mickey Mart, alleging trademark infringement and unfair competition. Mickey Mart has about 42 locations in Ohio, according to its website, and its logo is a smiling cartoon moose inside a red hexagon. In Buc-ee’s complaint, the chain argued that the animalistic symbol was too similar to its own – a toothy beaver wearing a red ball cap inside a bright yellow circle. Buc-ee’s said in court documents that both animals were facing to the right, with their eyes wide open and smiling.