Illinois still does not have a Buc-ee’s, and that is starting to look more noticeable.
The Texas-based travel center chain has been expanding across the South, Midwest and East, opening huge stores with rows of fuel pumps, barbecue sandwiches, a wall of beef jerky, Beaver Nuggets, clean bathrooms and more merchandise than many small-town gift shops.
But while Illinois drivers are still waiting, several nearby states are either already on the Buc-ee’s map or moving closer to getting there.
Missouri has a Buc-ee’s. Kentucky has Buc-ee’s. Wisconsin has one planned. Indiana has been tied to serious reports of a possible first location.
Illinois, meanwhile, still has no confirmed Buc-ee’s project.
That makes the question more interesting: Why not Illinois?
The simplest answer is that Buc-ee’s appears to be expanding around Illinois before entering it.
Missouri already has a Buc-ee’s in Springfield, giving the chain a foothold west of Illinois. Kentucky has locations in Richmond and Smiths Grove, making it part of the chain’s growing I-65 and I-75 road-trip network. Those stores serve travelers moving between the Midwest, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida.
Wisconsin is next in line among Illinois neighbors. Oak Creek, just south of Milwaukee and not far from the Chicago area, has been moving forward with plans for a large Buc-ee’s along Interstate 94. That location is especially notable because it would give many Chicago-area drivers a Buc-ee’s within a reasonable road trip without the company actually opening in Illinois.
Indiana may be another piece of the puzzle. Reports have tied Buc-ee’s to a possible Greenwood location near Interstate 65 south of Indianapolis. That is not an official open store yet, but it shows that Buc-ee’s is looking seriously at the Midwest and at corridors that Illinois drivers also use.
So Illinois is not being ignored because Buc-ee’s dislikes the region. The company is clearly interested in the broader Midwest.
It just has not picked Illinois yet.
One likely reason is real estate. Buc-ee’s does not build ordinary gas stations. Its newer travel centers often require large parcels near major highways, with room for a massive store, extensive parking, large fueling areas and major traffic movement. That kind of site can be easier to find in growing suburban or exurban corridors than in denser, more expensive parts of Illinois.
Another factor is traffic and road access. Illinois has the highways Buc-ee’s usually likes. Interstate 55, Interstate 57, Interstate 70, Interstate 74, Interstate 80, Interstate 88, Interstate 90 and Interstate 94 all create logical possibilities. A Buc-ee’s between Chicago and St. Louis, near Bloomington-Normal, near Champaign, or along I-80 could make sense on paper.
But the right site would need more than traffic. It would need land, local approvals, utility access, road improvements and a community willing to absorb the visitor volume.
That has been a challenge in other states. Buc-ee’s projects can bring excitement, jobs and tax revenue, but they can also bring concerns about traffic, noise, lights and development pressure. For a Buc-ee’s-sized project, local government approval can be just as important as highway access.
Illinois also already has some strong convenience-store and travel-stop competition. Road-trippers in the state know brands such as Casey’s, Love’s, Pilot, Road Ranger and Wally’s. Wally’s in Pontiac, in particular, has often been compared to Buc-ee’s because it also offers a large-format road-trip stop with food, fuel, clean restrooms and branded merchandise.
That does not mean Buc-ee’s would avoid Illinois forever. In fact, Illinois still looks like a logical future state.
The strongest possibilities would probably be away from the densest parts of Chicago and closer to major interstate corridors with available land. An I-55 location between Chicago and St. Louis would be an obvious fit. So would a site near I-80, I-57 or I-70, where long-distance travelers already move across the state.
For now, though, Illinois is surrounded by Buc-ee’s momentum without having a Buc-ee’s of its own.
Missouri and Kentucky already have stores. Wisconsin is planning one. Indiana may be moving in that direction. Iowa, like Illinois, is still waiting.
That leaves Illinois in an unusual position: a major road-trip state with the highways, the travelers and the demand — but no confirmed Buc-ee’s announcement yet.
The beaver is getting closer. It just has not crossed into Illinois.
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