Ever since building its first store outside of Texas in 2019, Buc-ee’s has been rapidly expanding to new states, cities, and markets as it scales up into what’s rapidly becoming a truly national footprint.
Which, when you think about it, is kind of incredible – they’ve only got 60 stores!
Of course, a big part of that is the sheer size of the stores – when you’ve got 70,000+ square feet of retail space, plus 120 pumps (and some EV chargers), usually on a ~20-25 acre parcel…well, you really can only build so many of those in any given state, you know?
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The very first Buc-ee’s built outside of Texas was in Alabama back in 2019.
And over the years, Buc-ee’s has expanded to a whopping 11 states (with loads more incoming).
You can now go to Buc-ee’s in Florida. Alabama. Georgia. South Carolina. Tennessee. Kentucky Pretty much all throughout the South.
Except for a few big exceptions.
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Before getting into the states that have been skipped, I think it’s just worth highlighting and acknowledging that Buc-ee’s has thus far been a primarily southern chain.
Sure, it has a few outposts beyond what you’d usually consider the South – Colorado, Missouri – but it’s pretty squarely been in the South (and especially the Deep South) since its founding.
I think the fact that it’s kind of the Wal-Mart (or Disney World, if you prefer) of gas stations is a piece of it.
Another piece is that it taps into a log of particularly southern nostalgia around old-fashioned food – homemade bbq, pecan clusters, fudge, and the especially Texan obsession with kolaches.
Step into a Buc-ee’s and check out the merch – I think you’ll find that it reminds you of Cracker Barrel more than anywhere else.
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And that’s why it’s so weird that Buc-ee’s has skipped these three states – up until now.
But starting a week from today, that begins to change…
At last…
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The fact that Buc-ee’s skipped over Mississippi and just went straight to Alabama has got to have hurt when it happened back in 2019.
And the six years since then have probably just rubbed more salt in the wound!
but on June 9th, Mississippi’s first Buc-ee’s will finally – FINALLY! – open.
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Buc-ee’s will be opening at 8245 Firetower Road in Pass Christian, Mississippi.
Look at a map, and you’ll see this is just a classic move by Buc-ee’s –
– Go right off a highway (I-10 in this case, which runs all across the southern US from Phoenix to Tallahassee)
– In a quiet, rural area where there’s not a ton going on (so land is cheap)
– And build!
I-10 is dotted with Buc-ee’s throughout most of its length, but this fills in a big gap in the chain.
Congratulations to Pass Christian!
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Louisiana is the other “gap” in the I-10 corridor Buc-ee’s has charted from Texas to Florida, and – like Mississippi – Buc-ee’s has announced big plans for the state.
(If a little more delayed – nothing is opening in a week or anything like that!)
It’s interesting, though, because – while Louisiana is certainly quite a bit bigger than Mississippi, it’s also a little less traditionally “southern” due to the heavy Cajun influences.
So I do understand why Buc-ee’s bypassed it initially…an oversight that it’s finally planning to correct:
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And true to form, Buc-ee’s will be opening a travel center near Lafayette, Louisiana…right off I-10.
The current timeline for construction implies a grand opening in December 2025, although of course these things change from time to time.
Given the size of the build, it’s not shocking that Buc-ee’s often face significant delays – and sometimes the locals aren’t exactly thrilled either (if you can believe it).
In fact, Louisiana’s second Buc-ee’s is prepping for a photo finish with the Lafayette location – not because anybody doesn’t want it there, but just because of typical construction delays.
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Louisiana’s second Buc-ee’s will be in Ruston, in the northern part of Louisiana, just off I-20.
For those familiar, I-20 is kind of the “other” major artery that runs east/west throughout the South, from Columbia in South Carolina, through Atlanta, Birmingham, Jackson and Shreveport, and Dallas…before turning further south and eventually merging with I-10 in western Texas.
Construction commenced in 2023 with expectations for delivery in ~15 months, but a few delays have pushed things back to the end of 2025 or perhaps the very beginning of 2026.
Stay tuned to see who wins – Lafayette or Ruston 🙂
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Our third skipped southern state is Arkansas, and while it’s not as “obvious” a place for Buc-ee’s as Louisiana and Mississippi…it’s still gotta sting a little that Tennessee and Kentucky got Buc-ee’s first, right?
(Not to mention Colorado.)
Well, a couple months ago, Buc-ee’s broke ground on its first location in Arkansas – near Benton – and while it probably won’t be ready to open until sometime in 2026…it’s great to know that help is on the way!
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So there you have it – three states that have been long overdue for a Buc-ee’s…all of which are finally going to get one.
And good thing too, because a lot of other states are about to get their first Buc-ee’s too…
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• For fun lists, healthy living tips, and bar conversation topics, make sure to follow The Coconut Mama. Click here to access The Coconut Mama’s profile page and be sure to hit the Follow button here or at the top of this article!
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Which, of course, begs the big question:
Where should Buc-ee’s build next?
(And why does Buc-ee’s keep passing over Oklahoma?)
Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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