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.
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“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.”
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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.
