The entire town of Beavercreek, Ohio is fighting back against a lawsuit brought against a small business by the gas station giant Buc-ee’s.
Last week, Buc-ee’s sued Beaver’s Mini Mart in Beavercreek, Ohio claiming copyright infringement on their beaver-based branding. Now, the whole town, and even other parts of the state, are working to keep the “ridiculous” lawsuit from moving forward.
According to Chon.com, Buc-ee’s opened a new location 20 minutes away from the small, beaver-themed store three months ago in Huber Heights, Ohio. Beaver’s Mini Mart has been operating under that name for about 10 years. The lawsuit claims that the small business knowingly used the name “Beaver’s” to confuse consumers, and states that the use of a cartoon beaver as their logo is too similar to the Buc-ee’s beaver.
Since the suit was filed, local business owners, residents, and even local elected officials have come out against the corporation and for the small business, calling the suit “ridiculous.”
“It just seems to me that they need to dismiss this lawsuit; this is ridiculous,” Ohio Governor Mike DeWine reportedly said at the State Fair last week.
We are standing up for our rights and will fight this lawsuit all the way,” Beaver’s owner, Vik Boparai, wrote in a statement.
A local t-shirt printing company, Cincy Shirts, has come out with t-shirts and hats boasting Beaver Mini Mart’s logo. Their websites describes the lawsuit as “about as reasonable as a beaver in a business suit… Every shirt sold benefits Beaver’s Mini Mart directly, helping keep their doors open and their case funded,” Cincy Shirts wrote. “Grab one, rep the underdog, and stand with the little guy.”
“It’s Beavercreek, for heaven’s sake. You expect to find—in Beavercreek—things named ‘beaver,” DeWine said.
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