Buc-ee's wins $850K in trademark lawsuit against South Carolina business

A year after being sued for trademark infringement, a South Carolina military apparel company has settled with Buc-ee's, the Texas-based travel center chain.

In June 2025, Buc-ee's sued Born United, a North Charleston-based apparel company that sells military and patriotic-themed clothing and merchandise over T-shirts and patches featuring the iconic Buc-ee's beaver clad in tactical combat gear. At the time, Buc-ee's said Born United took part in "slavish copying" and kept selling the merchandise despite a cease-and-desist letter.

But in court documents filed in August, Born United and Buc-ee's settled. Under the terms of that agreement, Born United is permanently blocked from using the Beaver logo or any "confusingly similar" designs. Born United agreed to pay Buc-ee's $850,000 in damages, destroy any remaining merchandise and take down related advertisements.

Born United has physical stores throughout the state, and every one of the company's locations was named as a defendant in the lawsuit. While the tactical beaver shirts are gone, T-shirts reading "Christ Is King," "Jesus Saves" and "Lift Heavy. Shoot Guns." are still available for purchase. Other items for sale on Born United's website include a shirt featuring a picture of former Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro being captured by U.S. soldiers. The shirt reads "FAFO" underneath the picture.

Born United is just one of a slew of companies sued by Buc-ee's in the past few years. As Buc-ee's expanded its vast beaver nugget empire to every state in America, the company has sued roadside stores with logos even sort of resembling Buc-ee's iconic branding. From the company's home state of Texas to the Midwest and even a gas station in the Middle East , Buc-ee's has gone after practically the whole animal kingdom . And an indie country musician .

But Buc-ee's' lawsuit-happy ways may be turning off otherwise enthusiastic customers. When Buc-ee's moved to Huber Heights, Ohio, the travel chain moved to sue a small convenience store called Beaver Mart in the nearby town of Beavercreek. The community rallied behind Beaver Mart. State lawmakers and even the governor of Ohio weighed in and bashed Buc-ee's to the point that Buc-ee's CEO Arch Aplin III, who rarely gives interviews, felt compelled to tell his side of the story .

Aplin implied in viral remarks last month that only conservative leaning states truly "appreciate" what Buc-ee's is doing. But lately, it seems everyone has a reason to be annoyed at Big Beaver .