The opening of a new Buc-ee's travel center in Texas will become the largest convenience store in the world.
The 75,000-square-foot gas station in Luling, Texas, will beat the previous record (another Buc-ee's location in Sevierville, Tennessee) by just 300 square feet when it opens its doors on Monday, June 10.
“The new Buc-ee's Luling will be the largest Buc-ee's location in the country, bringing the biggest Buc-ee's to the place where the legend began,” the company said in a news release. The Texas store, opening two hours west of Houston, will replace the current Buc-ee's in Luling, which was built as the brand's first travel center in 2003.
The American chain of huge gas stations and general stores has become known for its roadside snacks, such as barbecue brisket sandwiches and its signature Beaver Nuggets, as well as for the “cleanest bathrooms in the world” and the beaver mascot “more friendly”.
The record-breaking gas station will consist of 120 fuel pumps, at least 200 employees and “thousands of snack, food and beverage options for travelers on the go,” the company said. USA Today.
That compares to the previous record-holding Buc-ee's in Sevierville, which also has 120 pumps, 22 electric vehicle charging stations and a 250-foot-long car wash inside its 74,707-square-foot location.
This isn't the only Buc-ee that draws thousands of visitors across the country; Construction will begin on a new location along Interstate 75 near Ocala, Florida, next year. While it was initially reported that the Florida chain was set to break Luling's record by a staggering 80,000 square feet, the company maintained that the largest convenience store will remain in its home state of Texas.
“Buc-ee's is currently in the design and permitting phase for a 74,000-square-foot store in Ocala, FL, which is our largest store model outside of the state of Texas,” said Stan Beard, director of assets. roots and development of Buc-ee. he said to Daytona Beach News Journal June 7th. “In terms of square footage, the largest store outside of Texas will not exceed 74,000 square feet.”
Buc-ee's Travel Center was founded in 1982 in Texas and began its expansion across the United States in 2018 with the opening of a location in Alabama. Since then, the company has opened 14 other locations in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri and Colorado. Earlier this year, Buc-ee's announced the opening of its first location in North Carolina.
