Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 21
Buc-ee's Targets Conservative States for Expansion as Chain Opens 58th Store in Arkansas
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 21

Buc-ee's Targets Conservative States for Expansion as Chain Opens 58th Store in Arkansas

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 21

Summary

  • Arch Aplin III used Buc-ee's Aug. 17 Arkansas opening to say the chain will favor “conservative, business-friendly states” where leaders and workers welcome new projects.
  • The Benton site is Buc-ee's 58th location, extending a multistate push that already reached Ohio and Arizona in 2026 after first entries into Virginia in 2025 and Colorado in 2024.
  • By the end of 2027, Buc-ee's expects first stores in Louisiana, Kansas and Wisconsin, with Murfreesboro, Tennessee, scheduled to open on Nov. 16 and more sites listed through 2031.
  • The expansion drive comes as Buc-ee's faces backlash over trademark lawsuits, including a case against Ohio's Beaver's Mini Mart that Gov. Mike DeWine called “ridiculous.”

Insights

Will Buc-ee's rapid national expansion dilute its cult-like charm, or can the mega-gas station conquer the entire retail market?
Could aggressive lawsuits over a smiling beaver mascot ultimately damage this travel center's family-friendly image and expansion plans?