History of Buc-ee's in Timeline

Buc-ee's is an American chain of country stores, gas stations, and electric vehicle chargers founded by Arch "Beaver" Aplin III in 1982. Starting in Clute, Texas, it expanded with its first travel center in Luling, Texas, in 2003. In 2018, Buc-ee's began expanding beyond Texas, opening locations in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado, and Missouri. Further expansion is planned for other states including North Carolina, Mississippi, Ohio, Virginia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Arizona, Kansas, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma.

1982: Buc-ee's Founded

In 1982, Arch "Beaver" Aplin III founded Buc-ee's in Clute, Texas. This marked the beginning of the country store, gas station, and electric vehicle charger chain.

1982: First Buc-ee's Store Opens

In 1982, Arch "Beaver" Aplin partnered to open the first Buc-ee's store in Clute, Texas, naming it after his childhood nickname, his dog Buck, and the Ipana toothpaste mascot, Bucky the beaver.

2003: First Buc-ee's Travel Center Opens

In 2003, Buc-ee's expanded by opening its first travel center in Luling, Texas, marking a significant development in the company's growth.

2012: Buc-ee's wins "Best Restroom in America"

In 2012, Buc-ee's received significant acclaim when its bathrooms won the Cintas award for "Best Restroom in America", enhancing the chain's reputation.

2012: New Braunfels location wins "Best Restroom in America"

In 2012, the New Braunfels Buc-ee's had the "Best Restroom in America" named by Cintas.

2013: Lawsuit Filed Against Chicks

In 2013, Buc-ee's filed a lawsuit against "Chicks", a convenience store in Bryan, Texas, for trade dressing, alleging they copied Buc-ee's store designs and layout. The case was settled out of court.

December 2014: Frio Beaver Lawsuit Settled

In December 2014, Buc-ee's settled its lawsuit against Frio Beaver, who agreed to stop using a similar beaver logo, resolving the trademark dispute out of court.

June 22, 2015: First DFW Buc-ee's Opens in Terrell, Texas

On June 22, 2015, Buc-ee's opened its first location in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex in Terrell, Texas, marking a significant expansion into North Texas.

September 2015: Corporate Operations Move to Pearland

In September 2015, Buc-ee's announced that part of its corporate operations, including legal and human resources, would move to Pearland Town Center, establishing a "partial headquarters".

March 8, 2016: Buc-ee's Announces Possible Louisiana Location

On March 8, 2016, Buc-ee's announced a possible first location for a store outside of the state of Texas in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with plans to open in early 2017.

May 23, 2016: Second DFW Buc-ee's Opens in Fort Worth

On May 23, 2016, the second Buc-ee's in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and the 32nd location in Texas opened in far northern Fort Worth, near Texas Motor Speedway.

October 4, 2016: Baton Rouge Location Plans Canceled

On October 4, 2016, Buc-ee's announced that the plans for the Baton Rouge location had been canceled, reversing the previous announcement.

2016: Buc-ee's Sues Choke Canyon BBQ

In 2016, Buc-ee's sued Choke Canyon BBQ for copyright infringement, claiming their alligator logo and store name "Bucky's" were attempts to resemble the Buc-ee's brand.

April 12, 2017: Buc-ee's Announces First Florida Location

On April 12, 2017, Buc-ee's announced it would open its first convenience store/gas station outside of Texas in Daytona Beach, Florida.

2017: Lawsuit Filed Against Bucky's

In 2017, Buc-ee's filed a lawsuit against the Nebraska-based convenience store chain "Bucky's" for breaking an agreement regarding expansion territories, but the lawsuit was thrown out.

2017: Buc-ee's Loses Employee Retention Agreement Case

In 2017, Buc-ee's lost a Texas Employee Retention Agreement case on appeal, with the court ruling that the agreement violated Texas' employment-at-will doctrine and did not meet non-compete requirements.

2017: Baton Rouge location was expected to open

The Baton Rouge Buc-ee's location was expected to open in early 2017, however plans were cancelled on October 4, 2016.

February 5, 2018: Buc-ee's Establishes Store in Melissa, Texas

On February 5, 2018, Buc-ee's established another store in North Texas in Melissa, Texas.

May 2018: Choke Canyon Loses Lawsuit

In May 2018, Choke Canyon lost the federal lawsuit filed by Buc-ee's and was required to change its logo to a cowboy inside of an orange circle.

October 29, 2018: Third DFW Location Opens in Denton, Texas

On October 29, 2018, Buc-ee's opened its third location in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex in Denton, Texas, further expanding its presence in the region.

2018: Construction Begins in Daytona Beach

Construction began in summer 2018 for Buc-ee's first Florida location in Daytona Beach.

2018: Buc-ee's Expands Outside of Texas

In 2018, Buc-ee's began expanding outside of Texas with the opening of a location in Baldwin County, Alabama, marking the beginning of its growth into a multi-state chain.

April 29, 2019: Melissa, Texas Buc-ee's Opens

On April 29, 2019, the Buc-ee's in Melissa, Texas, located off New Davis Road and U.S. Highway 75, opened to the public.

February 23, 2021: St. Augustine Location Opens First

On February 23, 2021, the Buc-ee's location in St. Augustine, Florida, opened, preceding the Daytona Beach store.

March 22, 2021: Daytona Beach Store Opens

On March 22, 2021, the Buc-ee's store in Daytona Beach, Florida, opened after delays in construction, marking the company's entry into the Florida market.

November 2021: Tesla Superchargers at Buc-ee's Locations

In November 2021, it was reported that Tesla would open Superchargers at 26 Buc-ee's locations across 7 states, enhancing electric vehicle charging options for travelers.

February 2023: Operational Superchargers at Buc-ee's Locations

As of February 2023, operational Tesla Superchargers were available at more than half of the planned Buc-ee's locations, including those in Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

June 26, 2023: Sevierville Buc-ee's Becomes Largest

On June 26, 2023, the Buc-ee's in Sevierville, Tennessee, opened and became the world's largest convenience store at 74,707 square feet, surpassing the New Braunfels location.

2023: Cease and Desist Letter for "Bucsune Miku"

In 2023, Buc-ee's sent a cease and desist letter to an artist who created crossover artwork of the Buc-ee's beaver and Hatsune Miku, known as "Bucsune Miku", regarding the use of the beaver logo on stickers.

January 2024: First North Carolina Store Announced

In January 2024, Buc-ee's announced the opening of its first store in North Carolina, expanding its presence into another state.

June 10, 2024: New Luling Store Becomes World's Largest

On June 10, 2024, a new Buc-ee's store in Luling, Texas, opened, becoming the world's largest convenience store at 75,000 square feet, replacing the original Luling travel center.

June 2024: Largest Buc-ee's is in Luling, Texas

As of June 2024, the largest Buc-ee's location is in Luling, Texas. The chain is known for clean bathrooms and its beaver mascot. Buc-ee's does not allow 18-wheelers at its locations.

July 2024: 50 Active Buc-ee's Locations

As of July 2024, Buc-ee's has 50 active locations across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado, and Texas, demonstrating its significant expansion.

July 2024: Car Washes Available at Ten Locations

As of July 2024, Buc-ee's has car washes available at ten of their locations, seven in Texas, one in Alabama, one in Tennessee, and one in Florida. The longest car wash is in Katy, Texas, holding the world record at 255 feet.