In Oklahoma City, a local entrepreneur is gearing up for a legal skirmish against the formidable gas station chain Buc-ee’s. Jarrad Hewett, who has been at the helm of Nut Huggers Apparel for the past three years, found himself in the crosshairs of Buc-ee’s legal team after receiving a formal cease-and-desist letter.
The letter, stretching over three pages, demanded that Hewett cease using his business logo. This legal challenge arrived on the heels of a particularly successful month for Nut Huggers Apparel, marking their highest sales since the company’s inception. Specializing in underwear and activewear, Hewett’s business holds a patent for a unique redesign of underwear interiors, catering specifically to those with active lifestyles.
Hewett’s logo, which draws on playful humor, depicts a cartoon squirrel clutching two acorns. “We went with kind of tongue-in-cheek humor,” Hewett explained, speaking to the whimsical nature of his brand’s image.
Hewett said he came up with his logo, which features a cartoon squirrel holding two acorns.
“We went with kind of tongue-in-cheek humor,” said Hewett.
After sinking hundreds of thousands of dollars into his business and finally seeing it succeed, he said he was shocked to get the letter.
“The initial request came in a little hot and heavy,” said Hewett. “They suggested that they owned all cartoon rodents.”
The letter stated Hewett’s logo was a trademark infringement.
“Nut Huggers is presently using a cartoon brown rodent character, smiling with buck teeth, in various depictions,” said Trent Menning, assistant general counsel for Buc-ee’s.
The letter also demanded that the business stop using cartoons, rodents, the colors red, yellow, and brown, and stop using baseball hats. It also demanded that Hewett only use front-facing images.
The small business owner, who has a trademark for his logo, said he emailed Menning back and said he would stop using specific colors. He said he would also stop using a side profile of his image, but even that was not enough.
“They came back and basically said, ‘Great, now that you’ve given us this, we want everything else,’” said Hewett.
The gas station giant has sued other businesses in Missouri, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida for similar reasons.
Hewett said what was happening to him was different, and he was going to fight.
“I think that it’s time that somebody stands up and says, this isn’t right. There’s no infringement here,” said Hewett. “You all don’t have the right to be doing this and take away people’s local livelihoods.”
News 4 reached out to Buc-ee’s Corporate Offices and Menning for comment, but has not heard back.
