History of Buc-ee's in Timeline

Buc-ee's is an American chain of country stores, gas stations, and electric vehicle chargers founded in 1982 by Arch "Beaver" Aplin III and headquartered in Lake Jackson, Texas. Known for its large size, clean restrooms, extensive selection of snacks, and beaver mascot, Buc-ee's began expanding beyond Texas in 2018. The first travel center was built in Luling, TX in 2003. It now has locations in multiple states including Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado, and Missouri with plans to expand into several more states.

1982: Buc-ee's Founded

In 1982, Arch "Beaver" Aplin III founded Buc-ee's in Clute, Texas. This marked the beginning of the Buc-ee's chain of country stores and gas stations.

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 derived from his childhood nickname, his Labrador Retriever 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, indicating a significant growth phase for the company.

2012: Buc-ee's Opens Largest Travel Center in New Braunfels

In 2012, Buc-ee's opened its largest travel center in New Braunfels, Texas, at 68,000 square feet and it was named "Best Restroom in America" by Cintas.

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

In 2012, Buc-ee's received the Cintas award for "Best Restroom in America", highlighting the cleanliness of its bathrooms and contributing to the company's popularity.

2013: Buc-ee's Sues Chicks Convenience Store

In 2013, Buc-ee's filed a lawsuit against "Chicks", a convenience store in Bryan, Texas, for allegedly copying Buc-ee's store designs and layout, which was settled out of court.

December 2014: Buc-ee's Settles Lawsuit with Frio Beaver

In December 2014, Buc-ee's settled a lawsuit out of court with "Frio Beaver", a Texas-based convenience store chain, over logo similarities. B&B Grocery Inc., owner of Frio Beaver, agreed to stop using their beaver logo.

June 22, 2015: First Dallas–Fort Worth Buc-ee's Opens

On June 22, 2015, Buc-ee's opened its first location in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex in Terrell, Texas, located on Interstate 20.

September 2015: Buc-ee's to Move Corporate Operations to Pearland

In September 2015, it was announced that Buc-ee's would move a portion of its corporate operations, including legal and human resources, to office space at Pearland Town Center with the space ready by early 2016.

March 8, 2016: Buc-ee's Announces First Location Outside Texas

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

May 23, 2016: Second Dallas–Fort Worth Buc-ee's Opens

On May 23, 2016, Buc-ee's opened its second location in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and its 32nd in Texas. The store is in northern Fort Worth, across the street from Texas Motor Speedway.

October 4, 2016: Buc-ee's Cancels Baton Rouge Location Plans

On October 4, 2016, Buc-ee's announced that plans for its first location outside of Texas in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, had been canceled.

2016: Buc-ee's Sues Choke Canyon BBQ

In 2016, Buc-ee's sued "Choke Canyon BBQ", another Texas convenience store, for copyright infringement, alleging that their alligator logo resembled the Buc-ee's beaver logo.

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: Buc-ee's Lawsuit Against Bucky's Thrown Out

In 2017, Buc-ee's filed a lawsuit against "Bucky's", a Nebraska-based convenience store chain, for breaking an agreement regarding expansion territories. However, the lawsuit was ultimately 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. A court of appeals reversed a previous decision and ruled that Buc-ee's could not enforce a retention agreement against a former employee due to violations of Texas employment laws.

2017: Buc-ee's Baton Rouge Location Expected Opening

The Baton Rouge Buc-ee's location was expected to open in early 2017, though the plans were later canceled in October 2016.

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

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

May 2018: Buc-ee's Wins Lawsuit Against Choke Canyon BBQ

In May 2018, Buc-ee's won the federal lawsuit against Choke Canyon BBQ, which was then required to change their logo from an alligator in a yellow circle to a cowboy in an orange circle.

October 29, 2018: Third DFW Buc-ee's Location Opens

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

2018: Construction Begins in Daytona Beach, Florida

Construction on the Buc-ee's location in Daytona Beach, Florida began in the summer of 2018, but the project faced delays.

2018: Buc-ee's Expands Outside of Texas

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

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

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

February 23, 2021: St. Augustine Buc-ee's Opens

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

March 22, 2021: Daytona Beach Buc-ee's Opens

On March 22, 2021, the Buc-ee's location in Daytona Beach, Florida, opened after delays, marking the company's continued expansion.

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

In November 2021, it was reported that Tesla would be opening Superchargers at 26 Buc-ee's locations across 7 states, enhancing the facilities for electric vehicle users.

February 2023: Operational Superchargers at Buc-ee's

As of February 2023, Tesla Superchargers were operational 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 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.

2023: Buc-ee's Sends Cease and Desist Letter to Artist

In 2023, Buc-ee's sent a cease and desist letter to an Austin-based artist for creating "Bucsune Miku" crossover artwork featuring the Buc-ee's beaver and Hatsune Miku, citing trademark concerns. The artist stopped selling 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, expanding its presence further.

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

On June 10, 2024, a new Buc-ee's store in Luling, Texas, opened and surpassed the Sevierville location to become the world's largest Buc-ee's at 75,000 square feet, replacing the original Luling travel center.

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

As of June 2024, the largest Buc-ee's location is in Luling, Texas. Also, Buc-ee's maintains a policy against allowing 18-wheelers at its locations, stating that the parking lots are not designed for them.

July 2024: Buc-ee's Operates 50 Locations

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

July 2024: Buc-ee's Car Wash Record

As of July 2024, Buc-ee's has car washes at ten locations, with the one in Katy, Texas holding the record for the longest car wash in the world at 255 feet.