AMARILLO, Texas — Next time you take a road trip to the Texas Panhandle, New Mexico or Colorado, there’s a new option to fill up your car, take a bathroom break or grab some barbecue and Beaver Nuggets.
A new Buc-ee’s just opened on I-40 in Amarillo. The Texas Panhandle store is located near the Louisiana Avenue exit. It’s on the way to the famous Cadillac Ranch, one of Amarillo’s most popular tourist attractions.
If you leave tonight, you can get to Amarillo by morning! (See what we did there?)
Buc-ee’s coming to Lafayette, LA
If you’re heading east, you’ll be happy to know that another new Buc-ee’s is being added along I-10 in Lafayette, Louisiana.
“We are beyond excited to close and begin construction of Buc-ee’s in Lafayette,” Buc-ee’s founder Arch “Beaver” Aplin III, said. “Laissez les bon temps rouler! [Let the good times roll!]”
Construction on the, $82 million, 74,000-square-foot travel center with 120 gas pumps will begin in 2025 and it’s expected to open in 2026.
Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA) said the project will create at least 150 jobs plus an additional 100+ construction jobs.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome Buc-ee’s to Lafayette, a project that signifies both a substantial investment in our community and a major boost to our local economy,” LEDA President and CEO Mandi D. Mitchell said.
Since opening its first store outside of Texas in 2019, Buc-ee’s now has 50 stores in nine states, with plans to open 22 additional stores in 15 states.
“Louisiana has been on our minds for a while now, and we are proud to have Lafayette as our first partner in the southern half of the Pelican State,” Buc-ee’s Director of Real Estate and Development Stan Beard said.
Buc-ee’s also plans to open a store along I-20 in Ruston, Louisiana.
The Texas-based chain is also adding travel centers in Arkansas, Arizona and Mississippi. A Buc-ee’s executive told KHOU 11 earlier this year that Oklahoma is also on their radar.
Posted by Buc-ee’s on Monday, December 16, 2024
What’s the big deal about Buc-ee’s?
So what is it about the massive convenience store and gas station that always fuels excitement and creates buzz?
A lot of customers stop there for the large, clean bathrooms with countless stalls. Others love beef jerky, barbecue and homemade fudge. And some people can’t get enough of those sticky, sweet Beaver Nuggets.
The convenience store chain was founded by Aplin in Clute, Texas in 1982 and the Beaver Empire has been growing steadily ever since.