To know Buc-ee’s is to love Buc-ee’s.
(Well, at least that’s true for most of us.)
From the fantastic food (and don’t forget the amazing prices)…to the clean bathrooms…friendly service…merch…and a thousand other wonderful things about it…
Buc-ee’s is truly a unique experience!
And I have good news…
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Because Buc-ee’s is coming to more places than ever before.
(In fact, one state already has an incredible three Buc-ee’s announced, with a rumored fourth on the way.)
And more broadly, Buc-ee’s is on a building spree with a dozen or more locations planned across a mix of old a new states.
Put differently – if you don’t have a Buc-ee’s near you right now, chances are good many of you will have one soon!
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Because Buc-ee’s is coming to more places than ever before.
(In fact, one state already has an incredible three Buc-ee’s announced, with a rumored fourth on the way.)
And more broadly, Buc-ee’s is on a building spree with a dozen or more locations planned across a mix of old a new states.
Put differently – if you don’t have a Buc-ee’s near you right now, chances are good many of you will have one soon!
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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!
• Have feedback? Add a comment below!
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Each Buc-ee’s is…huge.
The standard new build is 70,000+ square feet, with over 100 gas pumps!
(For reference, that’s about half the size of a Costco.)
It takes time to build – usually 18-24 months on average, and that’s after negotiations and the approvals process.
Plus, there are lots of other factors – road work, annexation, and more – to make it all sync up.
So for three Buc-ee’s to be opening this year is not just a feat of engineering – it’s a sign that these states and localities have worked hard with Buc-ee’s to make these openings happen.
Unfortunately…
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Not every process goes through without a hitch.
So before getting into the lucky states that are getting new Buc-ee’s, I just have to take a moment to note a pair of states that could have had new Buc-ee’s this year but have introduced delays that have pushed out Buc-ee’s opening dates to 2026 or later:
Ohio and Florida.
Let’s talk about each briefly.
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Ohio’s story is pretty straightforward – its first-ever(!) Buc-ee’s is delayed because the local township (Huber Heights) and the Clark County government have been in a spat about water rights.
(Buc-ee’s consumes a lot of water. It happens when you’ve got hundreds of employees, tons of brisket to smoke on-site, and potentially millions of customers visiting!)
A year of litigation later, things eventually escalated to the point that Buc-ee’s had to stop construction work while the county and town worked it out.
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Fortunately they did work it out in December 2024…but the cost is that the Huber Heights Buc-ee’s, which was originally planned for late 2025, now has an estimated opening date in 2026.
It didn’t have to be this way!
Especially for Ohio’s first Buc-ee’s, which, at the I-70/Ohio 235 interchange is poised to vacuum up a ton of cross-state and interstate traffic.
Now, about Florida…
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I’m not too worried about Florida, because they already have Buc-ee’s in two locations (with a record-breaking three more planned!):
– Saint Augustine
– Daytona Beach
And that may be why Florida has taken its time on its third planned Buc-ee’s – in Ocala (about an hour north of Orlando).
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Originally, the Ocala location was supposed to open sometime this year, but delays in putting out bids for the Northwest 49th St. interchange, which is necessary for the Buc-ee’s to open, have pushed out the timeline to (likely) sometime in 2026 or possibly even 2027.
Florida Department of Transportation is expected to put out the project for bid until June 2025, at which point we’ll have a clearer sense of the timeline for at least beginning construction on Ocala’s Buc-ee’s. Stay tuned!
Now on to happier things, like the three states getting new Buc-ee’s this year! And first up, it’s…
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Where: Rockingham County, near Harrisonburg and right off I-81.
When: The grand opening is slated for June 30th after being pushed up from July 4th! (But if they end up delaying it to July 4th, that’s fine too.)
Why: It’s all about traffic off I-81, which links up all of Western Virginia and slides right into local ski slopes (Wintergreen) and the Shenandoah National Park.
Congratulations, Virginia!
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Where: Harrison County, Mississippi (at Menge Aveue & I-10).
When: Sometime next month(!)
Why: I-10 is a huge highway that runs all the way from Jacksonville, FL to Casa Grande, Arizona. It’s one of the great southern highways of America, and consequently it gets a ton of traffic and already has a few Buc-ee’s at different points…all of which I assume have been so successful, they want even more!
More specifically…
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Buc-ee’s currently has locations off I-10 in:
– Luling, Texas (just east of San Antonio)
– Katy, Texas (just west of Houston)
– Baytown, Texas (east of Houston)
– Robertsdale, Alabama (just east of Mobile)
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Like I mentioned, I-10 has been great for Buc-ee’s, so they have more planned, with four announced off I-10 so far:
– Near Tallahassee, Florida
– Near Lafayette, Louisiana
– Harrison County, Mississippi
– Goodyear, Arizona
Clearly this is great ground for them!
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As you can see from all of these locations, Buc-ee’s has a clear and thoughtful strategy for expansion. It goes something a little like this:
– Never compromise on quality;
– Move carefully, with an emphasis on places that want you there;
– Select locations that are near large cities (but not so close that land is ridiculously expensive – these are ~20 acre parcels, after all!);
– Find places with lots of traffic, usually off a highway and/or near major tourist destinations.
Really both of these new locations match those criteria quite well.
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So, congrats to Virginia and Mississippi!
Both states are getting their first Buc-ee’s opening in the next couple of months, and I’m so excited to see what comes next for both.
Of course, this begs a big question…
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Where do YOU think Buc-ee’s should build next?
Consider the criteria I’ve shared, and make sure to leave us a comment with your thoughts!
I may share reactions to some of the best pitches in a future update on this article – so I’d love to hear from you!
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