Buc-ee’s says it will prioritize ‘conservative, business-friendly’ states amid pushback over logo lawsuits

Gas station and travel center chain Buc-ee’s said it will seek out “conservative, business friendly” states for new locations after receiving pushback over its decision to go after small business owners with allegedly similar logos.

“We have a lot of opportunities. We’re growing. We’re building in a lot of places, but when you find a conservative, business-friendly state with a phenomenal workforce, it makes a difference,” CEO Arch Aplin III said in a video clip posted by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R).

“And I’m starting to realize life’s too short to try to build in places that people don’t appreciate what you’re bringing versus a place like this, where people do appreciate what you’re building,” Aplin continued.

Currently, the company has locations in Texas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee. The franchise can also be found in Colorado, Missouri, Virginia and Ohio.

Its expansion has seen the company grow into a chain of giant travel centers and gas stations known for their clean restrooms, multiple fuel pumps and unique snack and merchandise selections.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) has argued the company’s decision to sue a local business operator in Beavercreek, Ohio, for alleged trademark infringement was “ridiculous.”

The lawsuit comes after Buc-ee’s decided to open a new location in Huber Heights, Ohio, 16 miles from Beaver’s Mini Mart.

“To see this, that they’re coming after a small business like this, it upset me like it did a lot of Beavercreek residents,” resident Sam Bryan told Nexstar’s WDTN.

Last year, Buc-ee’s sued a Florida store and a South Carolina apparel company over alleged copyright infringement.