Buc-ee’s is a chain of convenience stores and gas stations with locations in Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. They are coming soon to Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and South Carolina. They have just opened in Calhoun, Georgia (Gordon County) where I visited for the first time. They are known for their world-record size convenience store (New Baunfels, Texas) and their world’s longest conveyor car washes.
The first location came in 1982 in Clute, Texas, and was founded by Don Wasek and Arch “Beaver” Aplin. Alpin combined his nickname, the name of his Labrador Retriever Buck, and the appeal of Ipana toothpaste’s animated mascot, Bucky the beaver (a Walt Disney character specially created for Bristol-Myers Company).
New Braunfels, Texas, on Interstate 35. is the largest convenience store in the world at 68,000 square feet. The store features 120 fueling positions, 1,000 parking spots, 64 ice freezers, 83 toilets, 31 cash registers, four Ic-ee machines, and 80 fountain dispensers. It also offers tubing and water gear for enjoying the nearby Guadalupe River. This store was named the 2012 “Best Restroom in America” by Cintas. Buc-ee’s opened its second Georgia store in Calhoun at the 310 exit of Interstate 75 and SR-53 (Union Grove Road) approximately halfway between Atlanta and Chattanooga, Tennessee in August 2021, filling 175 jobs.
Buc-ee’s also is adamantly not a truck stop and is self-proclaimed as being the “Disney of convenience stores”. They carry their own line of Bucc-ee clothing. They have freshly-roasted nuts that fill the stores with their alluring aroma, offer Icee flavors like Dr. Pepper and Big Red that no one else seems to be able to get, a jaw-droppingly large fountain soda bar, fresh fudge, home décor, and Beaver Nuggets (addicting bites of caramel, sugar, and butter-coated corn puffs). They have a BBQ counter selling brisket, sliced sausage turkey, and fresh to order sandwiches. I tried a sample of the Buc-O’s Snack Rings (compare to Funyons) and they were delicious.
The Calhoun store was crowded and the lines to buy something stretched across the store. Tim filled up with gas and said the price was low. They have Buc-ee vacuum mugs, frisbees, insulated tote bags, football toys, stuffed beavers, coffee mugs, etc.
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