Buc-ees outside of Texas.

[jeffandnicole]

If I had to choose between Bucee's and South of the Border, I would choose Bucee's every single time.

The 2 are about as polar opposites as one could get.  High gas prices vs Low gas prices.  Trucks vs. No Trucks.  Skanks vs. No Skanks...

[Jim]

Clean bathrooms vs. "No thanks" bathrooms.

[SSOWorld]

Squeegees? vs definitely no Squeegees.

[sprjus4]

Squeegees? vs definitely no Squeegees.

That, and the lack of seating. Besides that, I'm picking Buc-ee's any day of the year.

[Rothman]

Squeegees? vs definitely no Squeegees.

That, and the lack of seating. Besides that, I'm picking Buc-ee's any day of the year.

Meh.  The one in Bastrop, TX was overrun this past weekend.  People were waiting in line for the pumps.  I just kept going on my way to a more convenient station without the crowd.

[SSOWorld]

I only stopped at 3 Buc-ee's during my trip over the last week.  Denton, Madisonville, and Katy. They're not convenient.  All are outside central city limits and you're likely to use one only if driving between cities - and at that, you're more likely to stop at a different brand like QT, Stripes, or Loves. I'm exiting Texas today from Fort Worth with a near full tank so I don't expect to refuel until I'm in Oklahoma.

[SEWIGuy]

What about Wally's? There are only a couple of them, but I stopped on the one on I-55 and thought it was way nicer than any Buc-ee's I have been to.

[SSOWorld]

I only did Buc-ee's while in TX - the first, because first one - the second two - most convenient.  Otherwise I just plain picked a gas station.  As far as Wally's is concerned, They need to expand out.  They're not yet established outside IL and MO.  Neither place is on my route either.

[m2tbone]

I know of two more Wally's that have been announced.  Indiana will get one on I-65 north of Indianapolis, and Missouri's second location will be along I-70 in Independence.


iPad Pro

[Rothman]

I only did Bud-ee's while in TX - the first, because first one - the second two - most convenient.  Otherwise I just plain picked a gas station.  As far as Wally's is concerned, They need to expand out.  They're not yet established outside IL and MO.  Neither place is on my route either.

Go to them.  Don't wait for them to come to you.  Take initiative.

[epzik8]

What about Wally's? There are only a couple of them, but I stopped on the one on I-55 and thought it was way nicer than any Buc-ee's I have been to.

We need our own thread for this Wally's.

[SSOWorld]

What about Wally's? There are only a couple of them, but I stopped on the one on I-55 and thought it was way nicer than any Buc-ee's I have been to.

We need our own thread for this Wally's.

nah, only 2 Wally's right now and both in separate states. 

[wanderer2575]

Non-news news story in today's Detroit Free Press:

An intriguing billboard has captured the attention of drivers along Interstate 96 in west Michigan.

The sign, bearing the mascot and logo of the Buc-ee's chain of convenience stores, reads only "444 miles" causing many people to wonder.

We'll do the math for you.  From Lowell, Michigan, traveling 444 miles will bring you to Richmond, Kentucky, which is the nearest Buc-ee's location.

But is the popular business, with its cult-like following, teasing us about a future Michigan location?  Some are speculating that the billboard is an elusive way to put the state on notice of an impending Buc-ee's.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/business/michigan/2024/04/17/bucees-convenience-store-michigan-billboard/73354136007/

[sprjus4]

Non-news news story in today's Detroit Free Press:

An intriguing billboard has captured the attention of drivers along Interstate 96 in west Michigan.

The sign, bearing the mascot and logo of the Buc-ee's chain of convenience stores, reads only "444 miles" causing many people to wonder.

We'll do the math for you.  From Lowell, Michigan, traveling 444 miles will bring you to Richmond, Kentucky, which is the nearest Buc-ee's location.

But is the popular business, with its cult-like following, teasing us about a future Michigan location?  Some are speculating that the billboard is an elusive way to put the state on notice of an impending Buc-ee's.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/business/michigan/2024/04/17/bucees-convenience-store-michigan-billboard/73354136007/

Is it also coming to New Jersey?

[golden eagle]

I only did Bud-ee's while in TX - the first, because first one - the second two - most convenient.  Otherwise I just plain picked a gas station.  As far as Wally's is concerned, They need to expand out.  They're not yet established outside IL and MO.  Neither place is on my route either.

I went to Buc-ee's for the first time when I stopped at the one in Terrell last week. I went on a roadie to Dallas for the eclipse.

[Road Hog]

I first visited a Buc-ee's in Madisonville in 2015. It was the Friday before Christmas and the joint was packed. I took two steps in and did an immediate about-face. No beaver nuggets for me that day.

I got one closer to me in Melissa now on Future I-45. I'm due to buy another T-shirt soon and I might get a tank of their ethanol-free gas.

[epzik8]

If I had to choose between Bucee's and South of the Border, I would choose Bucee's every single time.

South of the Border will slowly be rendered obsolete by the Florence Buc-ee's.

[Rothman]

South of the Border isn't already obsolete?  Sad to see it slowly go kaput.

[SSOWorld]

Clean bathrooms vs. "No thanks" bathrooms.

For the Clean Bathrooms - they need 5 people just to clean those huge rooms hourly

[Great Lakes Roads]

Buc-ee's is scouting out locations in the Kansas City area (more specifically, on the Kansas side).

https://www.kctv5.com/2024/05/04/buc-ees-has-its-eyes-new-location-kansas-city-what-we-know-so-far/

Right near the Kansas Speedway off on Interstate 70, right near the I-435 junction!

[snowc]

Sorry, Sevierville! Lulling just 1-upped you by 10,000 sqft!
FULL ARTICLE HERE

Buc-ee's biggest location ever in the U.S. is now open in Luling, Texas, bringing the chain full circle.

Doors to the new Buc-ee's, "home of the world's cleanest bathrooms, freshest food and friendliest beaver," were scheduled to open at 6 a.m. local time Monday, according to an announcement by the company last month, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to follow at 12:00 p.m. CST. Members of the local government are expected to participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebrate the occasion.

Spread over 75,000 square feet, the new Buc-ee's in Luling is "the largest Buc-ee's location in the country, bringing the largest Buc-ee's back (to) where the legend began," the company said in a news release in May. The new store has replaced the city's current Buc-ee's store, which was the brand's first ever family travel center, built in 2003.

Located on the I-10 in Luling, about 2 hours west of Houston, the new Buc-ee's outlet will offer "thousands of snack, meal and drink options for travelers on the go."
"We are thrilled to open the doors to the world's largest Buc-ee's travel center right here in the Great State of Texas," said Buc-ee's Director of Real Estate and Development, Stan Beard, said in a statement. "It's particularly exciting, considering this is the Buc-ee's that started it all, so we are really looking forward to celebrating with the incredible people of Luling."

Located on I-10 in Luling, about two hours west of Houston, the new Buc-ee's outlet will offer 120 fueling positions, the company says along with "thousands of snack, meal and drink options for travelers on the go."

Scott Rinkel, right, takes a photo with Bucky the Beaver on opening day at the new largest Buc-ee's travel center in Luling, Texas on Monday, June 10, 2024.
Customer favorites including Texas barbeque, homemade fudge, kolaches, Beaver Nuggets, jerky and fresh pastries will also be available at the new store, Buc-ee's said.

[Max Rockatansky]

Using "legend" to describe Buc-ee's should be the dictionary definition example for hyperbole.

[Bobby5280]

I only stopped at 3 Buc-ee's during my trip over the last week.  Denton, Madisonville, and Katy. They're not convenient.  All are outside central city limits and you're likely to use one only if driving between cities - and at that, you're more likely to stop at a different brand like QT, Stripes, or Loves.

The word "convenient" definitely does not apply to Buc-ee's. The super-stores are indeed designed for longer distance road trips where someone might feel the need to stock up on snacks and other supplies.

As the national market gets more saturated with Buc-ee's locations (and other c-store chains do things to up their game) we'll likely see the insane crowd levels die down a bit.

I'm still looking forward to them opening a new store in Amarillo. That would be along the way on my road trips to Colorado. I'll probably still top off my tank at the Walmart in Dumas though.

Looking over the growing list of Buc-ee's locations outside of Texas (opened, under construction and proposed), I'm getting ever more convinced the chain has some kind of thing against Oklahoma.

Sorry, Sevierville! Lulling just 1-upped you by 10,000 sqft!

The Sevierville location building is 74,707 square feet, or 293 square feet less than the 75,000 sqft building at the newly opened Luling.

That Texas location may not have the world record for very long. A proposed Buc-ee's location in Ocala, FL (I-95 @ FL-326) will have an 80,000 square foot building. But there is some word it might be down-sized to 74,0000 sqft. Several other proposed Buc-ee's locations would at least tie the size of the Luling store.

[74/171FAN]

A proposed Buc-ee's location in Ocala, FL (I-75 @ FL-326) will have an 80,000 square foot building.

FTFY

[Jim]

This article says that the Ocala Buc-ee's is planned on a new exit at NW 49th St, not the FL-326 exit.  It will be on the east side of I-75 there.