Officials along the Mississippi Gulf Coast joined Tuesday morning for the groundbreaking of the state’s first Buc-ee’s.
Construction of the colossal convenience store, which will pan out at about 74,000 square feet, is now officially underway off Interstate 10 on Menge Avenue in Harrison County. Upon completion, the travel center will include 120 fueling positions and 24 EV charging stations.
Arch “Beaver” Aplin III, founder and owner of the Texas-based company, is excited to expand into Mississippi. He says the Harrison County location is a perfect midway spot between the company’s Baytown, Texas store and the one in Loxley, Ala.
“This will fill in just nicely in Mississippi,” Alpin stated. “We’re excited to be here on Interstate 10.”
Mississippi is part of an eight-state expansion plan that also includes North Carolina, Colorado, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Buc-ee’s currently has locations in Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, and of course Texas.
Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes called it a milestone day for the state.
“If you haven’t been to a Buc-ee’s, you don’t know what you’re missing. It is really an experience unto itself,” Hewes said. “A lot of good jobs, high paying, and a huge footprint, so they’re really going to transform some things down here. The fact that it’s happening in Harrison County is a win for everybody in the region, and so we couldn’t be more proud.”
State Rep. Richard Bennett said the construction of Buc-ee’s will subsequently bring more economic projects to an underdeveloped area.
“This is the beginning of this intersection. There’s a lot of industry coming in behind it,” Bennett said. “I think Buc-ee’s may have bought a lot of this land. They’re going to control what comes here, but they’ve got big, big plans. It’s gonna blow up. This is going to be a huge economic boom for Harrison County.”
Bennett admitted he was one of a few who has never been to a Buc-ee’s: “But now that they’re in Mississippi it’s a whole different ballgame. Why would I want to go spend my money outside the state? I was waiting for them to come here,” he joked.
Mississippi’s first Buc-ee’s is tentatively set to open in spring 2025. To learn more about the popular road stop, check out these quick facts.
Buc-ee’s will undoubtedly help the local economy
On average, each Buc-ee’s location creates at least 200 jobs with good pay too. As of 2019, the store’s cashiers were starting out at $16 per hour while team leaders were making up to $21 per hour. For a state that has a $7.25 minimum wage, that’s a huge pay raise for many. Each Mississippi employee is also expected to receive full benefits, a six percent matching 401K, and three weeks of paid vacation.
Buc-ee’s is not a truck stop
Being the world’s largest gas station, you would expect to see a ton of big rigs at Buc-ee’s. Well, that’s not the case as no Buc-ee’s franchises offer gas pumps for 18-wheelers, and sources have confirmed to SuperTalk Mississippi News that Mississippi’s location will not be the first to break that trend either.
Gotta pee?
If you’ve got to make a pit stop next time you’re on the road, you might want to consider stopping at Buc-ee’s as the store recently won a contest hosted by the Cintas Corporation, awarding them the title of “Cleanest Bathrooms in America.” On top of the cleanliness, there are rarely any waits as some of the locations have over 33 urinals for the guys alone.
Hungry?
Buc-ee’s is famous for its overwhelming selection of food. From BBQ beef brisket sandwiches to a plethora of trail mixes and jerkies, Buc-ee’s food is like no other. There are so many options that a guy by the name of James Scott even wrote a book about all the food at Buc-ee’s.
Buc-ee’s holds a couple of world records
Besides Buc-ee’s literally being the world’s largest convenience store (for perspective, the New Braunfels, Texas location could fit 22 7-Eleven stores or two Whole Foods stores inside), it also holds the record for world’s longest car wash, clocking in at 255 feet of conveyor.
