When Buc-ee's opened in Huber Heights, Ohio, the community celebrated. The crowds in the Dayton suburb were huge. The chain picked up $1 million in first-day sales.
The mayor, Jeff Gore, Gore gave Buc-ee's founder Arch "Beaver" Aplin III a key to the city at the store's grand opening in April.
"Up until last week, it'd gone incredibly well," Mayor Jeff Gore told The Enquirer on Aug. 5.
But then Buc-ee's sued Beaver's Mini-martin nearby Beavercreek for trademark infringement, even though the beaver on the mini-mart's sign had been around for years. It's one of many similar suits Buc-ee's has filed, but this one prompted a rebellion, with dozens of local businesses, politicians, and even Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine demanding Buc-ee's stop bullying the store.
Now, Gore is thinking of asking for that key back, he said.
This week, Gore sent texts to Buc-ee's contacts, letting them know that a lawsuit is not "worth the negative backlash and harm you are doing to your reputation nationally."
"We think this lawsuit is ridiculous and we hope it goes away," he said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Mayor gave key to the city to Buc-ee's founder. He may ask for it back
