Buc-ees has filed a lawsuit against Oklahoma underwear brand Nut Huggers, alleging the small business is infringing on its trademarks with a cartoon squirrel logo.
Nut Huggers owner Jarrad Hewett told Oklahoma’s News 4 (KFOR) he received a three-page cease-and-desist letter from Buc-ees attorneys demanding he halt use of his mascot, a brown squirrel holding two acorns. Hewett said the timing came just weeks after the company’s most profitable month since launching.
According to the report, Hewett said he invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into the brand and designed the logo to match the company’s tongue-in-cheek name. He said he was shocked when Buc-ees claimed the artwork infringed on its well-known beaver mascot.
Buc-ees’ letter sparked dispute over squirrels, colors, and hats
KFOR reported that Buc-ees’ assistant general counsel Trent Menning argued Nut Huggers is “presently using a cartoon brown rodent character, smiling with buck teeth, in various depictions,” which the company views as trademark infringement.
The letter reportedly demanded the small business stop using not only cartoon rodents, but also the colors red, yellow, and brown, as well as baseball hats or any side-profile artwork. Hewett said he responded by agreeing to adjust colors and use only front-facing designs, but Buc-ees allegedly pushed for more restrictions.
“They came back and basically said, ‘Great, now that you’ve given us this, we want everything else,’” Hewett said. He maintains his own logo is trademarked and believes Buc-ees is overreaching.
The Texas-based chain has previously taken legal action against other companies in Missouri, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida over similar mascot disputes. Hewett said he intends to fight the claim, saying he wants to protect small businesses from what he views as unnecessary pressure.
“I think that it’s time that somebody stands up and says, this isn’t right,” Hewett said.
This isn’t the first time the gas station giant has taken legal action against a clothing company. In June of 2025, Buc-ees took aim at Born United for using a militarized version of their iconic beaver mascot.
