CLEVELAND, Ohio — An Ohio gas station operator fired back at travel center giant Buc-ee’s, accusing the Texas-based company of using “meritless trademark litigation” to push a longtime local business out of the market.
Cole IP, the owner of the Milan-based Mickey Mart chain of gas stations, accused Buc-ee’s of maliciously filing the trademark lawsuit to “injure a smaller, family-owned business’ ability to be competitive.”
Mickey Mart lobbed the accusations Wednesday in a counterclaim after Buc-ee’s sued earlier this year and said the two gas stations had similar logos that could mislead customers…