MATAMOROS, Tamaulipas — This summer, we told you about a knock-off Buc'ee's store that had gone viral.
A Facebook post showing "Buk-II's – Supermercado" with a gopher mascot instead of the well-known Buc-ee's beaver was shared thousands of times. WFAA reached out to Buc-ee's officials regarding the post and they said, in part, they "will not stand as an idle spectator while others use without permission the intellectual property that Buc-ee’s has cultivated for decades."
Well, it seems word has made it to Mexico because whoever owns this Mercado in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, which is about 10 minutes south of the Los Indios Texas International Bridge, because the storefront has received a makeover. A mullet makeover, at that.
In a viral TikTok video posted by Jasmine Soto, the gopher ditched the red hat and yellow circle background synonymous with the Buc-ee's brand and transformed into what seems to be a chipmunk with a little business in the front and a pinch of party in the back.
The video shows photos before the transformation and what the store looks like now as she passed the Mercado on Sept. 4. Soto told MySA she took the video as she was traveling to her uncle's ranch. Soto's video has been viewed more than 1.3 million times since it was posted on Monday.
WFAA reached out to Buc-ee's about the new video on Tuesday. The company sent WFAA the following statement:
"Buc-ee’s does not have any further comments to offer at this time."
Soto told MYSA it's not open yet as of Sept. 5, but the building is looking like it's almost ready for business.
Check out the TikTok video here:
Buc-ee's litigation history
Buc-ee's is no stranger to taking legal action to protect its brand.
In 2018, Buc-ee's won a trademark lawsuit against San Antonio's Choke Canyon rest stop chain, which had a cartoon alligator logo on a yellow circle.
In 2013, Buc-ee's filed a lawsuit against Chick's, a stand-alone convenience store in Bryan, Texas, which was dismissed and settled out of court.
In Uvalde County, general store B&B Grocery were sued after using a tubing beaver logo.
An art installation with Buc-ee's branding was created in the West Texas town of Sanderson, but it was later taken down, according to MySA.
Buc-ee's is known for its wide array of snacks, including the highly-renowned Beaver Nuggets. There are 45 Buc-ee's locations in the United States, 34 of which are in Texas. As more locations expand from state to state, the locations continue to get bigger, like the one coming to Central Florida.
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