The State That's Home To The Very First Buc-Ee's

If you're from the South, or ever roadtripped through that part of the country — especially Texas — you probably came across a Buc-ee's. They're hard to miss. They're Texas-sized gas station-convenience stores that dwarf the competition. The stores are typically around 35,000-square feet and offer everything from fresh Texas barbecue to merchandise featuring the company's beaver mascot. There's one in Luling, Texas, that's a jaw-dropping 75,593 square feet; it's the biggest in the world, and the company has plans to build even bigger ones. But the very first Buc-ee's, located in Lake Jackson, Texas, is tiny in comparison; it's a mere 3,000 square feet. However, when Arch "Beaver" Aplin III opened it in 1982, it was bigger than the average convenience store by 600 square feet.

From the start, Buc-ee's was different, and not only because of its size. The first location on Oyster Creek Drive, which is still open, boasted brass ceiling fans and cedar-plank paneling, cheap ice, and clean bathrooms. These last two features helped make Buc-ee's famous and remain a cornerstone of the company, even as its grown to more than 50 locations in 11 states (with plans for more). From the outset, Aplin had expansion on his mind, beginning in Texas.

Arch "Beaver" Aplin hadn't intended to get into the convenience store business. He graduated from Texas A&M in 1980 with a degree in building construction, a business his father was in, and intended to build skyscrapers. Instead, he followed in the footsteps of his grandparents, Arch and Mae Alpin, who had owned a gas station and convenience store in Harrisonburg, Louisiana, beginning in the 1920s. Two years after graduating from college and back in his hometown of Lake Jackson, Texas, Alpin spied a piece of property he believed would be perfect for a gas station-convenience store. By the summer of 1982, the first of what would become a beaver-themed empire had begun.

From early on, the company's name, along with the beaver mascot, were part of its charm. Buc-ee's came from Aplin's nickname and the name of his pet dog, Buck, growing up. Aplin was also dreaming bigger than that one location. He took on a partner and Buc-ee's began expanding in Texas. By the early 2000s, the stores had all the hallmarks of the Buc-ee's you're likely familiar with. It wasn't until 2019 that the company expanded outside of Texas. Today, there are Buc-ee's as far east as Virginia and as far west as Denver, Colorado. But, by far, it's Buc-ee's home state of Texas that boasts the most with 36 locations — including the first in Lake Jackson.