Buc-ee's to Take Legal Action Against Apparent Imitator

LAKE JACKSON, Texas — Buc-ee's is taking steps to protect its intellectual property after a photo of an apparent knock-off convenience store in Mexico went viral on Facebook.

Ramon Montelongo posted a picture of the Buk-II's Super Mercado, located in Matamoros Tamaulipas near the Los Indios International Bridge to the U.S. border, in late July. In addition to the suspiciously similar name, the storefront features a deformed variation of the famous beaver wearing a red hat against a yellow circle depicted in Buc-ee's logo.

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However, the Buk-II's store may not stay in business long, as Buc-ee's announced plans to push back against brand infringement.

"The Buc-ee's brand represents clean restrooms, freshly prepared food, and great service. Buc-ee's has invested heavily in innovation across the company to create and maintain these award-winning guest experiences," Jeff Nadalo, Buc-ee's general counsel, told WFAA in a released statement. "Accordingly, Buc-ee's will not stand as an idle spectator while others use without permission the intellectual property that Buc-ee's has cultivated for decades."

This isn't the first time Buc-ee's has moved to protect its trademark. In 2017, the company filed a lawsuit against Omaha, Neb.-based Buck's, which carries the Bucky's banner in other states, from building at least six c-stores within the following year in Texas, and in 2018, a federal jury sided with Buc-ee's in its trademark infringement challenge against San Antonio-based Choke Canyon. The panel found that Choke Canyon's alligator logo violated state and federal trademark law, infringing on Buc-ee's established beaver logo.

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Lake Jackson-based Buc-ee's has more than 40 locations. The retailer kicked off its multistate expansion plan in 2019. In 2022, Buc-ee's broke ground or began operations in four new states: South Carolina, Colorado, Tennessee and Missouri.