Buc-ee’s Founder and President Arch "Beaver" Aplin III celebrated the grand opening of the franchise’s San Marcos location on Wednesday with local leaders and Texas Governor Greg Abbott. (Michael Milliorn/Community Impact)
The long-awaited Buc-ee’s location along I-35 in San Marcos officially opened its doors to customers and travelers on August 12. Along with local leaders, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the company’s Founder and President Arch "Beaver" Aplin III celebrated the event with much fanfare.
The two-minute impact
The 74,707-square-foot travel center is expected to serve over 10,000 visitors a day and provide access to 128 fueling stations, said San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson.
An economic development agreement between Buc-ee’s and the city ensures the location will bring over $50 million in capital investment to San Marcos and create over 300 jobs with an emphasis on hiring local applicants, Hughson said.
“Today is a great example of how business and government work collaboratively to grow a community's economy while creating a welcoming, family-friendly visitor experience,” Hughson said. “Buc-ee’s success is our success. Thank you for working collaboratively with the city of San Marcos to make today possible.”
San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson helped celebrate the opening of the San Marcos Buc-ee’s location and the economic opportunities it will bring to the city. (Michael Milliorn/Community Impact)
The project had an estimated construction cost of $47 million and was originally slated to open in late 2025. The location is one of the largest in the region, falling 886 square feet short of the world’s largest convenience store, a title currently held by the franchise’s Luling location at 75,593 square feet, according to previous Community Impact reporting.
Another thing
Abbott and Aplin shared remarks on the location’s opening before personally chopping some of the rest stop’s famous brisket.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott presented Buc-ee’s Founder and President Arch 'Beaver' Aplin III with a proclamation from the state to commemorate the opportunities the business has created. (Michael Milliorn/Community Impact)
“I'm proud of the type of business that Buc-ee’s runs,” Abbott said. “The Texas dream is the result of generations of Texans before us and the businesses they built, the communities they created and the legacies they have left. Buc-ee’s lives up to the pioneering spirit of the Lone Star State.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott chopped brisket at the San Marcos Buc-ee’s location following a ribbon cutting for its grand opening. (Michael Milliorn/Community Impact)
Quote of note
“We will always take pride and respect your business by providing you a clean place to come in and get off the road and rest and use the facilities,” Aplin said. “People ask us, ‘What's your secret sauce?’ I think it's just respect our customers and give our customers an exceptional experience.”
What’s available
The travel center features a wide array of Buc-ee's branded merchandise, clean restrooms and popular food options, including barbecue, fudge and Beaver Nuggets, Abbott said.
