These 8 lucky states are getting a Buc-ee’s— is yours on the list?

Texas chain launches its biggest expansion yet

Buc-ee’s is about to get a lot less exclusive. The Texas-based mega travel center is expanding into up to eight states where it has never operated.

Ohio, Arizona, and Arkansas should open their doors in 2026, while Kansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Wisconsin are targeting 2027.

Nebraska rounds out the list but has no confirmed timeline yet.

Each new store will span about 74,000 square feet with around 120 fuel pumps, and every location should create at least 200 full-time jobs.

A gas station turned travel destination

Buc-ee’s started as a small Texas gas station back in 1982.

Today, the chain runs more than 50 locations across 11 states, and every single one stays open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

People don’t just stop for gas. They come for Texas-style barbecue, Beaver Nuggets, homemade fudge, and aisles of branded merchandise.

The chain even won a national award for cleanest restrooms back in 2012. The biggest Buc-ee’s in the world sits in Luling, Texas, at about 75,600 square feet.

Ohio gets the first new store

Huber Heights, near Dayton, will welcome the first of the new locations on April 6.

The store sits at State Route 235 and Interstate 70 and will have about 74,000 square feet, 120 gas pumps, and 700 parking spaces.

Local first responders get a sneak peek on April 3. Construction broke ground in August 2024 but hit a snag when a legal fight over water and sewage services broke out between Huber Heights and Clark County.

A judge dismissed the lawsuit in December 2024, and work picked back up.

Arizona expects a summer opening

Goodyear, just west of Phoenix, will get Arizona’s first Buc-ee’s around June 2026.

The store is going up at the southeast corner of I-10 and Bullard Avenue and will cover about 74,000 square feet with 120 fuel pumps. The original plan called for a Christmas 2025 opening, but construction pushed that back.

Co-founder Arch Aplin said Arizona had been on the company’s list for a while because of the heavy travel traffic along I-10.

Arkansas could open ahead of schedule

Benton, about 25 miles southwest of Little Rock, is building Arkansas’s first Buc-ee’s off Interstate 30 at Exit 114.

The original target was September 2026, but a local official said in February 2026 that the opening could come as early as mid-August.

The April 2025 groundbreaking drew about 400 people, the largest turnout in company history according to co-founder Aplin.

By July 2025, all construction permits had been issued and dirt work was nearly done. The store should draw about five million visitors a year.

Kansas City breaks ground near the Speedway

Kansas City, Kan., will host the chain’s first Kansas location near the Kansas Speedway at 601 Village West Parkway in Wyandotte County.

The project, worth about $95 million, broke ground in October 2025. Under the development agreement, the store must open within 24 months of the construction start.

The site will include 120 gas pumps and 12 electric vehicle charging stations. Road work on Village West Parkway started in January 2026 and should run through late September.

Louisiana targets spring 2027 in Ruston

Ruston, in northern Louisiana near Interstate 20, will be the state’s first Buc-ee’s.

Crews broke ground in October 2025, and the store should open around April 2027. It will feature 120 gas pumps and bring more than 200 full-time jobs to the area.

A second Louisiana location in Lafayette is also in the works, but weather and design setbacks pushed that one back to 2028.

North Carolina waits on a big road project

Mebane, in Alamance County along I-40/85, will get North Carolina’s first Buc-ee’s. The Mebane City Council approved the project in January 2024 after an eight-hour public hearing.

The opening is projected for May 2027, but it depends on the North Carolina Department of Transportation finishing a new diverging diamond interchange at Exit 152 to handle the expected jump in traffic.

Construction started at the 32-acre site in late 2025.

Wisconsin store cleared a legal hurdle

Oak Creek, about 15 miles south of Milwaukee, will be the chain’s first Wisconsin spot.

The store is planned for the southwest corner of I-94 and Elm Road and will cover about 73,370 square feet with 120 gas pumps.

Buc-ee’s bought the 27.5-acre site for $7.5 million. Some neighbors sued, claiming the city acted improperly during rezoning, but a judge tossed the case.

The store should open in early 2027. A second Wisconsin location in DeForest, near Madison, has faced separate delays over funding.

Nebraska is still figuring things out

Gretna, near Omaha, got the announcement in January 2026 as the site for Nebraska’s first Buc-ee’s. The plan puts the store in the Good Life District near Interstate 80 and Highway 31.

The Gretna City Council gave initial approval to annex 43 acres for the project, but a traffic study still needs to go to the Nebraska Department of Transportation.

If approvals wrap up on time, construction could start as early as spring 2026 with an estimated 18-month build. No official opening date exists yet.

Building a Buc-ee’s takes time

Each Buc-ee’s travel center takes about 18 to 24 months from groundbreaking to opening, according to the company. Several of the new locations broke ground in mid-to-late 2025, which puts realistic openings in 2027.

Delays happen often because of road projects, weather, legal fights, and permitting. Not every community has rolled out the welcome mat, either.

Some locations in other states have faced pushback over traffic, environmental concerns, and development impact. All dates can still change.

The chain keeps pushing into new territory

If all eight locations open as planned, Buc-ee’s will operate in close to 20 states. The expansion pushes the chain farther north and west than it has ever reached.

Ohio, Arizona, and Arkansas openings in 2026 will give residents their first chance to visit a Buc-ee’s without crossing state lines.

The company has also shown interest in states like Indiana, Utah, and Idaho, though no firm plans have come out for those yet.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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