A chain of convenience stores for snacks, drinks, electric themed T-shirts, knickknacks and more, Buc-ee’s is a well known and popular stop for many people. Being known to offer unrivaled, “hilariously Southern” snack options, such as fudge, barbeque, tacos, jerky, and tater tots, there is truly something for everyone. Imagine stopping to get gas and walking out of a huge store with fudge and tater tots in a bag. Absolute heaven. For decades, Buc-ee’s was only in Texas, but in 2019, they have expanded to over ten more southeastern states, including Alabama, Colorado, Florida (thank goodness), Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
For achievements, Buc-ee’s holds the world record of having the world’s largest convenience store at 75,593 square feet. Putting that into perspective, a football field is 57,000 square feet. In fact Buc-ee’s has held that title 3 separate times and continues to constantly break its own records. It’s unlikely that the latest store location opening will wear its crown for long with bigger and better things on the horizon. It also holds the record for the world’s longest car wash at 255 feet long, and each location offers an average of 100 gas pumps per location.
Another thing about Buc-ee’s is that its very own mascot, the beaver, was named after the founder, Arch “Beaver” Aplin, in 1982. The mascot logo is posted everywhere, and occasionally, a Buc-ee’s employee will dress up in a beaver costume and walk around the store to pose for photos with visitors. As Sophomore IB student Alexa Decker said, “I have the merch and a very tacky photo with the beaver, thanks to my mom”. Honestly, a valid point. Buc-ee’s was also originally known for its clean bathrooms and cheap ice. It has officially remained known as the gas station with the largest and cleanest bathrooms, which may be the reason for the long lines around the building.
The store is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and while there is no exact number to how many customers they have in any given year, it is estimated that they have over 100,000 customers annually, which is more than Magic Kingdom. With convenience stores that have over a dozen homemade fudge flavors, its very own branded nuggets, a gazillion gas pumps, and its renowned clean bathrooms and large selections of snacks, it is safe to say that Buc-ee’s is an all-time favorite to those who have gone, and is a necessity to those who haven’t yet visited.
