Despite its Texan upbringing, Buc-ee’s has been a smash hit for many Florida residents since its debut in St. Augustine over three years ago.
Since then, the mega-gas station chain has expanded to Daytona Beach, with plans to soon bring the beaver to St. Lucie County and a “Texas-sized” location to Marion County.
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In all, there are 48 different Buc-ee’s locations in the U.S., and the chain touts the world’s largest convenience store and longest car wash.
The store offers numerous gas pumps, clean bathrooms, Beaver Nuggets (caramel popcorn), Texas-style brisket sandwiches, fresh jerky, T-shirts, hats, blankets, mugs and more.
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But how did the iconic chain get its name?
According to The Washington Post, there are two main sources.
The chain’s founder, Arch Aplin III, built his first gas station and convenience store in the Texas town of Lake Jackson back in 1982.
Aplin reportedly dubbed the company after his Labrador retriever named “Buck” and his own childhood nickname — “Bucky Beaver” — which also happened to be the name of a cartoon beaver in a toothpaste ad.
By combining his pet’s nickname with his own, Aplin came up with the iconic moniker: Buc-ee’s.
Buc-ee’s wouldn’t leave the Lone Star State until 2019, which is when it opened up in Alabama’s Baldwin County, right by the border to Florida’s Panhandle.
While the largest store is found in Tennessee, an even larger store is planned to be built near I-75 in the Ocala area by next year. That Buc-ee’s gas station is expected to sit at a whopping 80,000 square feet.
In addition, a fourth Florida Buc-ee’s is in the works along Florida’s Treasure Coast in St. Lucie County. That gas station is expected to feature over 100 gas pumps and nearly 800 parking spaces.
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