Buc-ee has some new territory to explore.
By Andrea Guzmán,Texas Brands Reporte
Just a couple of months after Arkansas officially announced its first Buc-ee’s would be built in Benton, a city west of Little Rock, the southern state secured a deal for a second travel center.
The next Buc-ee’s coming to Arkansas will go up in West Memphis, a city across the Mississippi River from Memphis, Tennessee. Mayor Marco McClendon announced plans for the Texas-based company to break ground in the coming months in an Instagram post this week.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to welcome Buc-ee’s to West Memphis,” McClendon said in the post. “This is a huge win for our city and shows that we’re serious about creating new jobs and growing West Memphis. Buc-ee’s is more than just a travel center—it’s an experience. We’re proud to see a major brand like Buc-ee’s invest in our future, bringing jobs, tourism, and new businesses to our city.”
The coming store is boasted as one of the largest in the region, though it will be just shy of the size of the largest Buc-ee’s in Texas. Situated on 34 acres, the 74,000-square-foot store will have more than 120 fueling stations and other amenities such as the famously clean restrooms. The travel center, which the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports will be located on the eastbound side of I-40 between Missouri Street and Seventh Street, is projected to create around 225 jobs.
The announcement of the new store comes as Buc-ee’s pushes on expanding outside of Texas and into the wider southern U.S. In May, a city near Memphis, Tennessee, announced plans for a Buc-ee’s. That was followed by a similar announcement from southwestern Kentucky city Oak Grove that a new Buc-ee’s is on the way.
An opening date for the West Memphis store has not yet been released, but other Buc-ee’s locations have taken approximately 18 months to be completed.
“The addition of Buc-ee’s is going to be a game-changer for tourism in West Memphis,” the city’s tourism director Jim Jackson said. “Buc-ee’s will not only serve as a major stop for travelers but also draw new visitors to our area, showcasing everything West Memphis has to offer.”