Dive Brief:

• Buc-ee’s, the Texas-based convenience-store and truck-stop chain known for its massive stores and array of food options, will break ground on its new travel center in Springfield, Missouri, — its first in the state — on Aug. 23. 
• Since expanding outside of Texas in 2019, Buc-ee's has opened travel centers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee. Beyond its new site in Missouri, the company will also expand West in 2024 with a location in Colorado. 
• Buc-ee's new store will bring hundreds of jobs, the company said, with a variety of employee benefits that could help it compete with other food retailers amid a tight labor market.

Dive Insight:

Buc-ee’s new Springfield store, located right off Route 66, is expected to open in 2024, according to the company’s website. It will occupy 53,000 square feet and offer 120 fuel stations outside, with thousands of snack, meal and drink options to purchase inside. In comparison, the average size of a U.S. supermarket was just over 48,000 square feet as of 2020, according to the Food Industry Association. 

Besides its large square footage, Buc-ee’s is known for its meat-heavy food program. The company offers made-to-order hot food 24 hours a day, including breakfast items between 4 a.m. and 11 a.m. and lunch items from 11 a.m. through the rest of the day. Its famous Texas barbeque program includes homemade brisket, sausage, turkey and pulled pork. Buc-ee’s also offers homemade jerky, baked goods and 20 different flavors of fudge.

In Springfield, Buc-ee’s will directly compete with Aldi, Walmart, Save A Lot and Hy-Vee. That includes a Hy-Vee Fresh & Fast, the grocery chain’s convenience-store model, which offers gas, groceries and a bakery, among other products.

The new Buc-ee’s site is expected to bring 200 full-time jobs to Springfield with a full set of benefits, including a 6% 401(k) match, three weeks of paid vacation and starting pay beginning well above minimum wage, the company said. With the food retail labor market in flux and employees seeking improved benefits, a Buc-ee’s expansion could attract workers from around the grocery and restaurant industries, as well as other c-store chains. 

Missouri isn’t the only new market Buc-ee’s is eyeing. Also in 2024, the company is set to open its first store in Colorado, located in Johnstown, about 50 miles north of Denver. In its current markets, Buc-ee’s has plans to open new stores through 2025 in Athens and Auburn, Alabama; Smith Grove, Kentucky; Sevierville, Tennessee; and Boerne, Texas. 

Buc-ee’s currently operates 43 stores in total.