Buc-ee’s is finally coming to NC. Is it worth the drive from Charlotte?
North Carolina is finally getting its first-ever Buc-ee’s.
This week, the company announced it would break ground on a new 74,000-square-foot travel center in Mebane on Wednesday, June 10. The massive store won’t open for at least another year, however, giving Charlotte road trippers plenty of time to map out a future visit.
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If you plan on making the pilgrimage, here’s what to know:
Buc-ee’s Mebane travel center will go up just off Interstates 40/85 in Alamance County. The store will sit on 34 acres and span 74,000 square feet — roughly the size of a Kohl’s department store, except you’ll find Texas barbecue, jerky and super-tidy restrooms.
Building plans call for:
The Mebane location will be missing a key feature, however: a car wash. The popular amenity is often found at other Buc-ee’s travel centers, the News & Observer reported.
“For our first North Carolina store, we’ve landed in the best location possible,” Stan Beard, Buc-ee’s director of real estate and development, said in a news release.
“Mebane has all the things that makes Buc-ee’s a positively charming pit stop: great leadership, wonderful community, and a beautiful stretch of I-40/85.”
Charlotteans plotting a future road trip will find that Buc-ee’s could make the perfect mini adventure. Mebane is about 121 miles northeast from uptown (or about two hours), and it’s a perfect midpoint for families traveling toward the Triangle or Virginia.
The new travel center will be just off Exit 152 at Trollingwood-Hawfields Road.
Buc-ee’s officials said roughly 80% of visitors (about 5 million annually) travel 50 miles or more just to visit a store, The News & Observer previously reported. The NC Department of Transportation is preparing for the influx of traffic sure to come to the already busy commuter route, with plans to construct a new I-40/85 interchange.
Plans also include a diverging diamond pattern designed to “handle at least a couple thousand more cars a day.”
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Buc-ee’s isn’t your typical fill up station or convenience store. It’s been described as “an experience.” Think: a Texas-style barbecue joint, candy and snacks, a wall of beef jerky and beaver-branded merch all under one (huge) roof.
“You walk in and your senses are hit with sound and smell,” Jeff Lenard, an executive with the National Association of Convenience Stores, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in 2023.
“Thirty minutes and however many dollars later, you’re out there smiling, and the experience is not something every retailer can replicate,” he said.
The chain is famous for its cheery, buck-toothed mascot Buc-ee — inspired by founder Arch Aplin’s childhood nickname “Beaver” and his Labrador retriever, Buck, The News & Observer reported.
Visitors can sink their teeth into fresh brisket, shop for Buc-ee’s branded T-shirts, or answer nature’s call at one of the store’s award-winning bathrooms.
Before you leave, be sure to snap a photo with the life-sized beaver mascot, too.
Buc-ee’s is as much a food destination as it is a treasure hunt.
If you’re not familiar with the myriad of snack options, don’t fret. Last year, the News & Observer’s food team ate its way through the Buc-ee’s in Florence, South Carolina, (the closest location for most North Carolinians) and ranked the brand’s most popular bites from “top to meh.”
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Here are the Top 5 picks to add to your must-try list:
Tammy Grubb and Drew Jackson contributed reporting.
