Louisiana is getting its first real taste of Buc-ee’s, and the most important update is that construction is no longer just a promise.
The state’s first Buc-ee’s is under construction in Ruston, and the city says work is moving along at the future site. Crews have started pouring concrete for the front portion of the building, with more groundwork underway for the rest of the project.
The Ruston store is expected to be huge: about 70,000-plus square feet, with more than 100 fuel pumps. The city is now looking at a projected mid-2027 opening, though Buc-ee’s itself has been targeting April 2027 and Mayor Ronny Walker has said the project is on or ahead of schedule.
For Louisiana drivers, that means the full Buc-ee’s experience is getting closer: brisket sandwiches, Beaver Nuggets, jerky, fudge, snacks, drinks, clean bathrooms, and enough merch to turn a gas stop into a shopping trip.
The Ruston location matters because it puts Buc-ee’s along a key north Louisiana travel route, giving the chain a foothold between Texas and Mississippi while pulling in drivers from I-20, college traffic, weekend travelers, and curious locals.
The store also has personal meaning for Buc-ee’s founder Arch “Beaver” Aplin III, who has called the Ruston opening a homecoming. Aplin grew up in Texas but spent summers working at his grandfather’s general store in Harrisonburg, Louisiana, which he has said planted the seed for the business he eventually built.
It is also expected to be a major economic development win.
The city says the location is expected to welcome thousands of visitors daily, with Mayor Walker estimating roughly 15,000 vehicles per day once the doors open. New Orleans CityBusiness has also reported that the project is expected to bring about 200 jobs and draw heavy daily traffic.
But Ruston is not the only Louisiana Buc-ee’s on the map.
Buc-ee’s own estimated opening list also includes Lafayette, Louisiana, with a projected 2028 opening. That means the state could eventually have two major Buc-ee’s locations serving very different parts of Louisiana.
For now, Ruston gets the spotlight.
After years of rumors, delays, and anticipation, Louisiana’s first Buc-ee’s is finally taking shape. And once the doors open, north Louisiana may become a required stop for road-trippers chasing brisket, fudge, and the cleanest bathrooms they can find.
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