BUC-EE’S
As I drove north on I-95 out of Florida recently, I found myself watching my fuel gauge—not for any other reason than to see if I could make it to the newly opened Buc-ee’s just north of Brunswick near Darien. I could take a much- needed break, fuel up, and buy food and gift items to take home. My go-to is the cinnamon crunch muffins—they’re always a hit with the grandkids. It got me thinking: only in the good ole USA can a concept take hold and do this well.
Buc-ee’s is the Disney World of gas station/convenience stores. I saw a line of kids getting their picture taken beside the bronze beaver mascot as I was leaving. Hmm… marketing genius.
Arch “Beaver” Aplin III and Don Wasek opened the first Buc-ee’s in 1982. Aplin started the company, and Wasek came on later as a partner. The first store was in Lake Jackson, Texas. Today, Buc-ee’s has 54 locations, mostly across the southern U.S., with one in Colorado.
Like most small businesses that grow large, Buc-ee’s represents nearly 50 years of hard work. What we see today at one of their locations is completely different from the 1982 version. What’s remarkable to me is how someone in charge
kept working to improve and perfect the product. Mom-and-pop operations rarely make it to a true multi-location business—the second generation’s heart is usually not in it. Aplin’s vision was inspired by his grandparents’ general store in Louisiana where he grew up.
5-star bathrooms, merchandising that would make retailers jealous, award- winning brisket BBQ, bakery items to take home, and many other can’t-miss items—like a stuffed Santa beaver with a white beard.
Their locations are chosen strategically: mostly rural counties along busy
interstates, preferably with little or no direct competition. I’m sure they can
convince local politicians to get on board with intersection improvements necessary for easy on-and-off access. The hook? An estimated $1+ million in local sales tax revenue per location—plus the attraction of better-paying jobs. General managers can earn over $200,000, and hourly workers typically make well above local wages ($16–$21 per hour).
Average store cash flow is just an estimate since Buc-ee’s is privately owned and has no obligation to release figures. It’s estimated that two-thirds of revenue is earned inside the store, where margins are highest.
It’s smart to have Chef Pauley—a multiple pit-master award winner—develop the world-famous brisket and visit locations to set up smokers and train staff to get the formula just right. Consistency is hard in the food business, and Buc-ee’s has nailed it. Brisket in a Florida location tastes the same as in Georgia. Their biggest-selling snack item is Beaver Nuggets—flavored corn puffs.
Overnight 50-year success stories in business are rare. Buc-ee’s has beaten the odds, and there are now multiple locations pumping out payroll and taxes to rural communities that would otherwise not have that opportunity.
Each location is estimated to generate $50–$100 million in annual cash flow. That’s a Texas-sized, all-American success story.
Thanks, Andy McClung, CFP™
Sources: Nola.com (Guilbeau); TCPalm (Blandford); Wiki.org; GoogleAI
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