Photo: Facebook | Bucee’s
Is Smiths Grove Big Enough For Buc-ee’s?
Smiths Grove, a Kentucky town with an estimated population of 795, has scored a Buc-ee’s, surprising many fans of the cult Texas travel chain.
Buc-ee’s, founded in 1982, operates 45 gas station and country-style convenience stores across Texas and the South, attracting a wide fan base drawn to its expansive selection of products from brisket to home decor, plentiful gasoline pumps, parking spots, award-winning clean bathrooms and whimsical cartoon beaver mascot.
“It’s part gas station, part Walmart, part tourist shop,” David Conn, Tampa EVP and retail broker at commercial real estate firm CBRE, recently told the Tampa Bay Times.
“It’s been called a freeway phenomenon, a temple of roadside junk food, and the Disney World of convenience stores,” wrote Ashlea Halper in a review for Condé Nast Traveler. “Pass through its glass doors and I swear you’ll hear angels sing as workers with Colgate-sparkly smiles welcome you to their fluorescent-lit promised land.”
“They make so much stuff. They have those Beaver Nuggets. They have all kind of barbecue that they make,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at an event heralding the opening of Buc-ee’s third Florida store in Ocala, according to Orlando Weekly. “It’s basically like the Shangri-La of service stations.”
The Smiths Grove location, scheduled to open in 2024, will occupy 53,471 square feet and offer 120 fueling positions.
Since beginning its multi-state expansion in 2019, Buc-ee’s has opened travel centers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee. Recent store groundbreakings reached Western states with stores planned in Colorado and Missouri.
Smiths Grove will represent the smallest city in the country in which Buc-ee’s has a location..
My San Antonio columnist Chris O’Connell assumed Smiths Grove, located off Interstate 65, was likely chosen since it is halfway between Nashville and Louisville, and next to Bowling Green, a major college town.
“Smiths Grove will be the smallest town with a Buc-ee’s. It has a big heart just like we do, so we’ll get along just fine,” Stan Beard, director, real estate, Buc-ee’s, said in a statement.
Discussion Questions
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Do you see an opportunity for Buc-ee’s to expand coast-to-coast or do you expect it to locate primarily in non-coastal states? What does the opening in Smiths Grove say about its real estate strategy and expansion potential?
Poll
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Ron Margulis
Managing Director, RAM Communications
David Spear
VP, Professional Services, Retail, NCR
I would expect Buc-ee’s to continue to expand north and west at a consistent pace. The new location in Smiths Grove doesn’t surprise me. In a similar move, Buc-ee’s just opened a location one exit away from Auburn University in Alabama and there isn’t much on that exit except for Buc-ee’s. I’m a huge fan of their stores, which are extremely clean, full of happy associates and a fun, upbeat vibe. And the bathrooms rival those found in upscale hotels with granite counters, beautiful floor pavers and exquisite tiled walls. Buc-ee fans are hyper enthusiasts. Get ’em talking and they won’t stop!
Went to my first Buc-ee’s on a store tour with a European retailer last June and we all were very impressed. We had scheduled 45 minutes including lunch but wound up spending about twice that amount of time (we had to cancel the next store). The Europeans would go in one side of the store and meander through, exiting the other side and then walk outside back to the original entrance. Everyone did that at least twice. The outside, with the big beaver statue attracting a lot of selfies, was almost as interesting as the inside. So, yes, there is very good potential for the retailer to expand to most of the country.
I’m not sure there is a market too small for Buc-ee’s at this point. As long as there is proximity to major highways in high-traffic areas along interstates I don’t think the local demand will be critical. Buc-ee’s looks where they can attract a large number of travelers and serve as a convenient stopover. I would assume this store will continue their string of success, but will be interesting to see over the next years how this particular store performs.
I visited my first Buc-ee’s location a week ago and it was a memorable experience. There were more than 60 gas pumps and the store environment is like an amusement park. They are known for the cleanest restaurants in the U.S. and several specialty food items like Texas BBQ and Beaver Nuggets (sweet corn puff snack). The location I visited was half-way between Raleigh, NC and Hilton Head Island, SC and we stopped there going both directions. It appears to have a cult-like following and we looked forward to our second visit. This concept has the potential for nationwide growth and as long as there is enough traffic to support the large footprint.
Many c-stores are places where people stop on their way to somewhere else. Buc-ees is also but is something More they are not. It is a destination. The impact of its Smith’s Grove location will be felt by retailers up and down I65 and in the markets near Smith’s grove.
I think Buc-ee’s is very smart about where to open their stores and where. A few decades ago, Luling,TX was a small town as well and people wondered why would you build a 50K C-store in the middle of small town? Because- if you build it , they will come. Their stores are a sight to be seen- clean bathrooms, jerky, fudge, grills, deer feed, beaver nuggets. A definite destination for all.
I apologize for never having heard of Buc-ee’s. From what more knowledgable colleagues have said, it’s the location that matters. But, as someone conumed with the study and application of subtle energies…I suggest it will be successful because of the energy it manifests. Mr Beard called it “heart” which is an aka for energy. Organizations are collections of energy points. Those energy points include everything from “Colgate-sparkly smiles” to the “brisket” to the “award-winning bathrooms” to the logo. Get enough energy points and you dominate your category. Sadly so much of retail these days lacks energy and has little clue how energy works on the human psyche.
Here’s what’s interesting: it takes just one energy failure to cause demise. It may be slow, but it will be. What I wonder is whether 120 fuelling stations is plus energy or minus energy. Does that add or detract from the intimate and infectious energy of the place?
Ian, the answer is no. It does not matter. Gas is a plus, but it is in a lot of cases, a planned stop. People have been traveling for hours in some cases, and when they get to Buc-ee’s, they just want to get out, go to the bathroom, and know they will find a clean retail environment, where they know they will find something to eat, and stuff to buy.
You are right for sure. It’s the number I’m thinking about. 120 is 5X what our local Costco has in the middle of Scottsdale. As I understand it, Buc-ee’s isn’t posed as a ‘big box’ destination.
And here’s the deal- I would say that at least 80% of the time, most of those pumps are being used- at least here in the Texas locations.
Pretty amazing!
All this, and it’s easy. The locations are conveniently located, with no stress.
I love Buc-ee’s: and so do its customers and its employees. I have been following Buc-ee’s since almost the beginning since I live in Texas and have been traveling all over the state since they first opened. I still remember walking into the store in New Braunfels2012 with not only over 75 fueling stations and almost many urinals in the men’s restroom. I will never forget the sign over the front door in 2012 saying starting wage $15.00 per hour.
They have become a cult classic.
Will they survive in Smith Grove? The answer is a simple yes. Smith Grove will never be the same.
Plentiful…parking spots??Uhmm, OK
As it sounds like it’s really a highway facility, I don’t think the population of the town makes much difference. I expect it will expand in a logical manner around its base of operations…at 45 locations in almost as many years, it doesn’t sound like they’re in much of a hurry.
The size of the adjacent town is not the issue. It’s the proximity to the interstate, in this case off of Interstate 65. As noted by the article & comments, Buc-ee’s is a terrific retailer. The only question I have is the dependence on gas going forward with the growth of electric vehicles.
Buc-ee’s can expand everywhere there’s an interstate, and away from large metropolitan areas. One of the keys to success are locations, with drivers being more relaxed and focused well before and after the urban and suburban clog. With clean bathrooms, good brisket, a plethora of snacks, and fun merch, this brand is a winner!
Discovering a suitable spot to take a break and unwind during a long drive can be quite challenging, but Buc-ee’s convenience store goes beyond being just a rest stop, becoming an attraction in itself. From an impressive array of snacks and refreshments to immaculate restroom amenities, Buc-ee’s truly sets the gold standard for services. Moreover, Buc-ee’s provides a gas station facility, and for those who own electric vehicles, it offers the added advantage of Tesla charging stations. In my opinion, Buc-ee’s is a must-visit for an unforgettable experience on your road trip.
Buc-ees should have enough data from their other stores to properly evaluate site selection if it is the smallest local population they have in their portfolio. From my experience at Buc-ees, most customers are traveling, so as long as they have the traffic off Interstate 65, which should be piped directly into their site selection algorithm, this location should be should not be a lot different than the other locations.