As we've mentioned before, Buc-ee's is expanding beyond the Lone Star State. It's opening up shop in other parts of the south as travel centers have already opened up in Alabama and Florida. Other centers are being built in South Carolina and Kentucky, and earlier this month, there was a ground breaking of a new travel center in the Volunteer State. That means that the center is scheduled to open sometime in 2023.
The spot is in Crossville, Tennessee. That places it roughly half way between Knoxville (about an hour away to the east) and Nashville (about an hour and 45 minutes to the west). Cumberland County Mayor Allen Foster was beaming about Buc-ee's arrival when he was speaking with WKRN, Nashville's ABC affiliate. He likely feels that he scored a coup since as he explained: "One of the things you notice around a lot of the other Buc-ee's is that as time goes on, different types of retail and restaurants and things develop around the Buc-ee's. So that's an exciting prospect for us, too, here in Cumberland County."
While the store will likely attract plenty of people and attention, Mayor Foster says that this is part of the plan for the area to grow the right way. He hopes that this growth will still allow people to live the American Dream as they desire. What American doesn't want to have sparkling clean bathrooms, jerky, no lines at the gas pump, and a little bit of Texas nearby? Buc-ee certainly helps with those desires.
Mayor Foster should know. He took his wife down to Alabama to see what's all the fuss is about. "It's an experience," he reported, "The average time someone spends when they go in one is like 40-45 minutes."
In addition to reporting the groundbreaking, WKRN also is helping prep Tennesseans about what's in store by sharing Buc-ee's facts. In addition to reporting the chain's Texas roots and the origin of the beaver mascot, the news station is informing the residents that this is a big deal. The travel center will be 53,400 square feet with 120 fuel pumps. That's ginormous. It needs to be that big to house all the Beaver Nuggets that the people will demand.
We're thrilled for the people of Tennessee. However, it'll be a couple of years before you get a store of your own. All y'all can rely upon us here at Texas Snax to hold y'all over until then.