Dave Thomas, American-Statesman staff
You know Buc-ee’s — that titanic Texas travel stop chain with the super-sized super-clean restrooms, the awe-inducing array of snacks and the smiling beaver mascot?
Well, that mascot has teeth.
There’s a darker side to Buc-ee’s that travelers may not be aware of, but fellow interstate merchants know all too well.
https://twitter.com/sporksmith/status/952219225225158662
Free Press Houston reported on Saturday about Buc-ee’s litigious history as it tries to squash any perceived attempts at copyright and trademark infringement.
The article says Buc-ee’s has “tried to bring down a small zoo’s worth of cute cartoon animals and the businesses they represent,” including Choke Canyon Bar-B-Q and its alligator mascot, convenience store Irv’s and its cowboy mascot and convenience store Chicks and its twin chicken mascots.
When squared off against Buc-ee’s attorneys, the story says, many of its smaller competitors simply give up and settle out of court. But the beaver vs. alligator battle of Buc-ee’s vs. Choke Canyon Bar-B-Q did go to court this week in Houston, Free Press Houston reports.
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