NORTH CHARLESTON, SC — A South Carolina apparel retailer has been ordered to pay Buc-ee’s $850,000 and stop selling clothing that used an unauthorized design similar to the Texas convenience store chain’s trademarked beaver logo. The ruling follows a lawsuit filed in 2025 and reported by WCIV.
The company involved, Born United, operates stores in North Charleston, Summerville and Myrtle Beach. The case also named owners Cameron Bechtold, Jared Williams and Josiah Bradley. According to WCIV, both sides waived their right to appeal, making the outcome final under the settlement.
The dispute drew attention because Buc-ee’s has built one of the most recognizable brand identities in the country. In this case, the issue was not a general likeness or a joke graphic, but a design the court found crossed the line into trademark infringement.
How the Buc-ee’s lawsuit reached a $850,000 settlement
The trademark dispute centered on clothing sold by Born United that featured a version of the Buc-ee’s beaver logo without permission. Buc-ee’s argued the design was too close to its protected branding, and the court agreed, according to WCIV.
Under the settlement, Born United must stop using the infringing design. The retailer also faces the possibility of covering its own legal costs as well as Buc-ee’s attorney fees if it violates the agreement going forward.
That financial pressure is part of what makes trademark cases so significant for smaller businesses. A brand dispute can lead not only to damages, but also to additional court costs and restrictions on what products a company can continue to sell.
Born United stores in the Lowcountry and Grand Strand were named in the case
Born United operates retail locations in three South Carolina markets: North Charleston, Summerville and Myrtle Beach. Those stores helped make the company a visible local business, even as the trademark fight unfolded in court.
WCIV reported that the lawsuit named the company along with owners Bechtold, Williams and Bradley. The case focused on the apparel retailer’s use of the disputed logo, not on the day-to-day operations of the stores themselves.
For shoppers who know Born United as a local brand, the ruling may be notable because it places a regional retailer in conflict with a national chain known for fiercely defending its image and intellectual property. The court’s decision effectively ends the dispute unless the settlement is broken.
State Sen. Tom Fernandez said he is no longer involved with the business
State Sen. Tom Fernandez, a South Carolina Republican, previously said he held a partial ownership interest in Born United’s Myrtle Beach location, but he was not named in the lawsuit. He said he is no longer involved with the company.
In a Facebook post, Fernandez said he was no longer an owner of Born United, including the Myrtle Beach store, and that he was not a party to the case reported in the news. He also said he continued to support the entrepreneurs behind the business and believed they would recover from the setback.
Fernandez had earlier defended the company’s logo use in a June 3, 2025, post, writing that it was not Buc-ee’s logo and describing it as creative and protected. He also said at that time that he owned 49% of the Myrtle Beach store.
Why the settlement matters for brand owners and small retailers
Trademark disputes can be especially costly for independent businesses that use a design resembling a well-known brand. Once a court finds infringement, the stakes often include damages, legal fees and restrictions on future sales tied to the disputed image.
This case also shows how quickly a logo disagreement can escalate into a broader business problem. A design used on clothing can trigger a lawsuit, public attention and long-term changes in what a retailer is allowed to market.
For Buc-ee’s, the ruling reinforces its reputation for protecting its brand. For Born United, the settlement means moving forward without the logo at the center of the case and with the financial hit attached to the judgment.
Neither Buc-ee’s nor Born United commented after the ruling
WCIV said it asked both Buc-ee’s and Born United for comment and had not received a response. The absence of new statements leaves the court’s settlement as the clearest public resolution of the dispute.
Because both sides waived their appeal rights, the decision is not headed back through the courts. That gives the case a finished legal outcome, even though it may continue to be discussed among customers, business owners and brand watchers.
For now, the practical result is straightforward: Born United must stop selling the infringing clothing, and Buc-ee’s has secured a monetary award tied to the logo dispute.
