Buc-ee’s chain draws outcry in Ohio for launching fight over a mini mart's beaver logo

BEAVERCREEK, Ohio (AP) — A lip-licking alligator, a smiling moose and a hat-wearing bear are among the many cartoon animals to have found themselves in the crosshairs of Buc-ee’s, the popular Texas convenience store chain that has a penchant for protecting its buck-toothed beaver.

But now Buc-ee’s has set off a Buckeye backlash across Ohio and beyond after taking on a beaver in the city of Beavercreek.

It’s yet another Buc-ee’s Ltd. trademark infringement lawsuit. Supporters of Beaver’s Mini Mart have attacked Buc-ee’s online and boycotted the stores, and the mini mart’s home city passed a resolution making the beaver an official part of its history. British comedian John Oliver has even weighed in on the kerfuffle.

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The U.S. & Canada are fighting over tariffs. How is that affecting small businesses?

NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben speaks with Mike Roach and Kim Osgood, owners of Paloma Clothing in Portland, Ore., about how the tariff fight between the U.S. and Canada is affecting their business.

DANIELLE KURTZLEBEN, HOST:

Trade talks between the U.S. and Canada collapsed late yesterday, so now the U.S. has imposed 50% tariffs on an array of Canadian goods including beer, whiskey and dairy products, fishing rods and hockey sticks and clothing. The tariffs will affect $20 billion worth of Canadian imports. Today, Canada's prime minister Mark Carney announced that his country will impose its own new tariffs on U.S. goods starting September 8.

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Inside Coca-Cola’s secretive innovation labs: How the beverage giant wants to automate dirty soda and refreshers

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola is branching out into new customizable drinks and trend-driven equipment as consumers — and food service operators — increasingly want more options.

Tucked away in an anonymous office park not far from its global headquarters here, Coke has been working on a flood of innovation at its secretive labs, including a way for its Freestyle drink dispensers to make dirty sodas, which combine pop with flavored syrups, cream or other ingredients. In partnership with AMC Theatres, it is testing a Micro Matic dispenser that can make brightly colored refreshers. And Coke has more white-label beverage options on the way, like an energy drink that can be customized by color and flavor.

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