History of Buc-ee's in Timeline

Buc-ee's is an American chain of large-format country stores and gas stations, known for its clean restrooms, wide selection of snacks and travel items, and beaver mascot. Founded in 1982 by Arch "Beaver" Aplin III in Clute, Texas, it opened its first travel center in Luling, Texas, in 2003. Headquartered in Lake Jackson, Texas, Buc-ee's began expanding beyond Texas in 2018 and now operates in multiple states with plans for further expansion.

1982: First Buc-ee's Store Opens

In 1982, Arch "Beaver" Aplin co-founded the first Buc-ee's store in Clute, Texas. The name "Buc-ee's" was created by combining Aplin's childhood nickname with his dog's name, and inspired by the Ipana toothpaste mascot, Bucky the beaver.

1982: Buc-ee's Founded

In 1982, Buc-ee's was founded in Clute, Texas, near Lake Jackson, marking the beginning of the Buc-ee's chain of country stores and gas stations.

2003: First Buc-ee's Travel Center

In 2003, Buc-ee's established its first travel center in Luling, Texas, south of Austin, expanding its business model.

2003: First Travel Center Opens in Luling

In 2003, Buc-ee's expanded by opening its first travel center in Luling, Texas, growing beyond its initial store format.

2012: New Braunfels Travel Center Opens

In 2012, Buc-ee's opened its largest travel center in New Braunfels, Texas, which at the time was the largest convenience store in the world. This location also featured the "Best Restroom in America", as awarded by Cintas.

2012: "Best Restroom in America" Award

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.

2013: Lawsuit Against Chicks

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

December 2014: Settlement with Frio Beaver

In December 2014, Buc-ee's settled a lawsuit out of court against Texas-based convenience store chain "Frio Beaver," which agreed to stop using its beaver head logo.

June 22, 2015: First DFW Location Opens

On June 22, 2015, Buc-ee's opened its first travel center in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, located in Terrell, Texas.

September 2015: Corporate Operations Move to Pearland

In September 2015, Buc-ee's announced that part of its corporate operations, specifically the legal and human resources departments, would relocate to office space in Pearland Town Center.

March 8, 2016: Baton Rouge Location Announced

On March 8, 2016, Buc-ee's announced plans for its first location outside of Texas, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with an expected opening in early 2017.

May 23, 2016: Second DFW Location Opens

On May 23, 2016, Buc-ee's opened its second location in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, marking its 32nd store in Texas, located in northern Fort Worth near Texas Motor Speedway.

October 4, 2016: Baton Rouge Location Canceled

On October 4, 2016, Buc-ee's announced the cancellation of its plans for the Baton Rouge, Louisiana location.

2016: Lawsuit Against Choke Canyon BBQ

In 2016, Buc-ee's sued "Choke Canyon BBQ" for copyright infringement and trade dressing, alleging that their logo and store name "Bucky's" resembled Buc-ee's.

April 12, 2017: Daytona Beach Location Announced

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

2017: Lawsuit Against Bucky's

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

2017: Employee Retention Agreement Case Loss

In 2017, Buc-ee's lost a Texas Employee Retention Agreement case on appeal, with the court reversing a decision that had ordered a former employee to pay damages and attorney's fees.

2017: Original Expected Opening Date

In 2017, the Baton Rouge Buc-ee's location was expected to open before the plans were cancelled.

February 5, 2018: Melissa, Texas Store Established

On February 5, 2018, Buc-ee's established a store in Melissa, Texas, located off New Davis Road and U.S. Highway 75.

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 an orange circle.

October 29, 2018: Third DFW Location Opens

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

2018: Expansion Outside Texas

In 2018, Buc-ee's began expanding outside of Texas with a location in Baldwin County, Alabama, marking a new phase of growth for the company.

2018: Daytona Beach Construction Begins

In the summer of 2018, construction commenced on the Buc-ee's location in Daytona Beach, Florida, marking the start of the project.

April 29, 2019: Melissa, Texas Store Opens

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

2019: Aplin's Family History

As of 2019, information revealed that Buc-ee's founder, Aplin's, grandparents still lived in Harrisonburg, northeast of Alexandria, Louisiana, offering a glimpse into his family background.

2019: Lawsuit for Unfair Pump Prices

In 2019, Buc-ee's was sued in Alabama for "setting unfair pump prices," allegedly selling gasoline for less than the cost to buy and transport it, violating Alabama state law.

2020: Texas Snax Founded

In 2020, Chris J. Koerner founded Texas Snax, which became one of the largest dedicated Buc-ee's resellers after an unreturned partnership inquiry and subsequent negotiations with Buc-ee's legal team.

February 23, 2021: St. Augustine Store Opens

On February 23, 2021, Buc-ee's opened its St. Augustine, Florida location, marking its first store in the state.

March 22, 2021: Daytona Store Opens

On March 22, 2021, Buc-ee's opened its Daytona Beach, Florida store, adding another location in the state.

November 2021: Tesla Superchargers Announced

In November 2021, CleanTechnica reported that Tesla would be opening Superchargers at 26 Buc-ee's locations across 7 states.

2021: Daytona Beach Opening Delayed

In 2021, project delays pushed back the construction date for the Daytona Beach Buc-ee's location, impacting the store's opening timeline.

February 2023: Operational Superchargers

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

June 26, 2023: Sevierville Location Opens

On June 26, 2023, Buc-ee's opened a new location in Sevierville, Tennessee. This new store became the world's largest convenience store with an area of 74,707 square feet.

2023: Cease and Desist for "Bucsune Miku"

In 2023, Buc-ee's sent a cease and desist letter to an Austin-based artist for creating "Bucsune Miku" crossover artwork and stickers, citing unauthorized use of the beaver logo. The artist subsequently withdrew the stickers.

January 2024: First North Carolina Store Announced

In January 2024, Buc-ee's announced the opening of its first store in North Carolina, further expanding its presence across the United States.

June 10, 2024: Luling Location Reclaims Largest Store Title

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

June 2024: Largest Buc-ee's Location

As of June 2024, the largest Buc-ee's store is located in Luling, Texas. The chain maintains a policy of not accommodating 18-wheelers, angering some truck drivers.

July 2024: Car Washes Available

As of July 2024, Buc-ee's had car washes at ten locations across Texas, Alabama, Tennessee, and Florida, with the longest car wash in the world located in Katy, Texas.