Buc-ee’s used to be a Texas exclusive. But over the past few years, the chain has expanded well beyond the Lone Star State as it looks to capitalize on its popularity and unique format.
Although it’s now known for its supersized stores, Buc-ee’s began as a much smaller operation. Its first location in Lake Jackson, Texas — where the company’s headquarters still reside — was just 3,000 square feet. Buc-ee’s ambitions grew in the following years, and in 2003 it opened its first travel center in Luling, which included a 37,000-square-foot store and 64 fueling positions.
But the company aimed to go bigger still, and quickly began opening stores twice the size of that location. Just last year, in fact, Buc-ee’s went back and expanded its Luling location to 75,000 square feet.
Beyond its outsized stores and fueling options, the convenience retail chain is known for its fresh barbecue, great pay and super-clean bathrooms.
Now, Buc-ee’s is in the midst of a new phase of growth centered on bringing its one-of-a-kind experience to states beyond Texas. After opening 30 locations, the company opened its first store outside the Lone Star State in 2019, in Alabama.
Mapping Buc-ee's store footprint beyond Texas
Since that first Alabama opening, the company has built a presence in nine total states, with plans to open in nine additional states and rumors of more to come. Locations are slated to have as much as 80,000 square feet of store space and well over 100 fueling positions along with further amenities like car washes or EV chargers.
While Buc-ee’s expansion plans don’t always work out — its first try at Louisiana fell through, as did a location slated for Clarksville, Tennessee — it now has over a dozen stores outside Texas, with more than 10 additional locations in various stages of permitting or construction.
The expansion isn’t over in its home state, either. Buc-ee’s broke ground in Amarillo last year — its first store in the Texas Panhandle.
As Buc-ee’s continues to bring its stores to new areas, C-Store Dive is keeping track of the company’s expansion plans and store openings beyond Texas. A timeline of the store openings appears below and will be regularly updated. Any opening dates listed are subject to change.
