Buc-ee’s Ltd. v. Beaver’s Mini Mart
The News: Convenience store giant Buc-ee's filed a federal infringement suit against an Ohio small business, Beaver's Mini Mart, claiming its logo infringes on Buc-ee's registered buck-toothed beaver mascot.
The Takeaway: This highlights the way that a national brand with a federal trademark can cause problems for local stores or chains.
It’s possible for smaller businesses to operate under a problematic or vulnerable name for years without attracting the attention of a larger corporation with a registered trademark.
But once that larger corporation takes notice of the smaller one, they are likely to start throwing their weight around.
This is one of the reasons it’s a good idea to get out in front of trademark disputes by consulting a trademark attorney.