John Oliver Dared Buc-ee’s To Sue Him Next, but the Retail Giant Went After a Decades-Old Neighborhood Store Instead
“Common sense is not prevailing.”
John Oliver dared Buc-ee’s to sue him after mocking the chain’s aggressive legal strategy, but the Texas-based travel center ignored the challenge and went after a decades-old neighborhood store instead. According to The Hill, Buc-ee’s filed a lawsuit against Beaver’s Mini Mart in Beavercreek, Ohio, claiming the small business’s cartoon beaver mascot infringes on its trademark.
The suit, filed just days ago, argues that Beaver’s Mini Mart’s logo – featuring a smiling beaver with wide eyes and a red color scheme – could confuse customers. Buc-ee’s only opened its first Ohio location in April, while Beaver’s Mini Mart has been a local staple for years. The community is rallying behind the mini mart. Residents organized a cash mob and launched a GoFundMe to help cover legal fees.
Sam Bryan, a Beavercreek resident, told WDTN that the lawsuit left a “bad taste” in his mouth, especially since Buc-ee’s markets itself as a fun, family-friendly brand. “To see this, that they’re coming after a small business like this, it upset me like it did a lot of Beavercreek residents,” Bryan said. The cash mob is set for August 7, with supporters encouraged to spend at least $20 at the store.
This isn’t Buc-ee’s first legal battle over its mascot
The company has filed over a dozen lawsuits against businesses with animal-based logos, often targeting small operations that can’t afford a prolonged legal fight. In February, Buc-ee’s sued Mickey Mart, an Ohio gas station chain, over its Mickey the Moose mascot – even though Mickey Mart had been using the character since 2020, well before Buc-ee’s arrived in the state.
Last year, the chain went after a Florida store and a South Carolina apparel company, while a Missouri business settled and another shut down entirely after facing similar claims. John Oliver ripped into Buc-ee’s litigious streak in a recent Last Week Tonight segment, taunting the company to sue him instead of small businesses. “Buc-ee’s loves to sue other companies, particularly those with animal mascots,” Oliver said.
He noted that most defendants settle or fold because they lack the resources to fight back. To drive the point home, Oliver’s team created a parody logo featuring Mr. Nutterbutter, a 7-foot-tall squirrel mascot from a previous segment, with the slogan “Buc-off” in a style mimicking Buc-ee’s branding.
The merchandise, sold at Buc-off.com until September 8, benefits Hunger Free America. Oliver warned that any lawsuit would “directly [take] food out of hungry people’s mouths.”
Buc-ee’s hasn’t responded to Oliver’s challenge
It hasn’t even responded to requests for comment about the Beaver’s Mini Mart lawsuit. The company’s legal strategy has drawn criticism for targeting businesses that pose little real threat.
According to USA Today, Vik Boparai, who has owned Beaver’s Mini Mart for over a decade, said he doesn’t understand why Buc-ee’s would go after his store. “I have two kids and this store is how I feed them,” he said. The mini mart doesn’t even sell gas, and its location in a residential neighborhood makes confusion with Buc-ee’s 16-mile-away travel center unlikely.
Beavercreek Councilman Zach Upton called the lawsuit an overreach, saying “common sense is not prevailing.” He pointed out that beavers are a common motif in the area, with local businesses and even the high school using variations of the animal in their branding. “I can’t imagine anyone would be confused by the mini mart and Buc-ee’s,” Upton said. “It’s not even in the same ballpark.”
Buc-ee’s has a history of winning these cases, often because smaller businesses can’t afford to fight. In 2025, the chain sued Barc-ee’s, a Missouri business with a dog park and coffee shop, over its smiling animal mascot. That same year, it targeted Super Fuels, a North Texas gas station, for its brown dog logo.
In 2013, Buc-ee’s went after Chicks, a Texas convenience store with a chicken mascot, leading to Chicks’ eventual closure. Legal experts warn that Buc-ee’s aggressive approach could backfire if it ever faces a defendant with deep pockets – like, say, HBO.
For now, the company seems content to keep targeting small businesses
The question is whether the backlash will force a change in strategy. Beaver’s Mini Mart’s supporters certainly hope so. The GoFundMe and cash mob are small gestures, but they send a clear message: picking on a neighborhood store doesn’t sit well with the people who shop there. If Buc-ee’s wants to keep expanding, it might need to rethink its legal playbook or risk alienating the very customers it’s trying to win over.
Oliver, meanwhile, seems to be enjoying the spectacle. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he said Buc-ee’s “aggressively told us that they would not be engaging in any questions,” including basic ones like how many flavors of fudge the chain sells. “I hear that they are going to let this go,” Oliver added. “So, we’ll see.”
(Featured images: Last Week Tonight, Avalon (Avalon Television) and Peyance Productions)
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