CROSSVILLE, Tenn. — Buc-ee’s Ltd. has broken ground on a new travel center in Crossville, Tenn., the company’s first in Tennessee. A second, even bigger Volunteer State location will follow.
- Buc-ee’s is No. 163 on CSP’s 2021 Top 202 ranking of the largest U.S. c-store chains.
The “outpost” continues Buc-ee’s multi-state expansion across the South, joining two recently opened locations in Florida, as well as stores in Georgia and Alabama. Buc-ee’s broke ground on its first Kentucky location in April of 2021. Buc-ee’s first travel center in South Carolina is also currently under construction and is slated to open in 2022. Additionally, Buc-ee’s operates 38 locations in Texas, where it was founded almost four decades ago.
Buc-ee’s Crossville store will occupy more than 53,400 square feet, and the site has 120 fueling positions. It will also offer barbeque, fudge, kolaches, Beaver nuggets, jerky and fresh pastries.
“Crossville is centrally located between Nashville and Knoxville--an ideal stop for folks headed west to Music City or east to the Great Smoky Mountains,” said Stan Beard, Buc-ee’s director of real estate. “Crossville is also the Golf Capital of Tennessee, and a gorgeous destination in and of itself. We can’t wait for Buc-ee’s to provide another great reason for folks to make their way through Crossville.”
Throughout the project, Lake Jackson, Texas-based Buc-ee’s corporate development team will work closely alongside state and local leadership. Buc-ee’s Crossville will bring at least 175 new, permanent, full-time jobs to the area, the company said, with starting pay beginning above minimum wage, full benefits, 401k and three weeks of vacation.
Attendees of the Buc-ee’s Crossville groundbreaking ceremony on June 15 included Crossville Mayor James Mayberry, Cumberland County Mayor Allen Foster, Buc-ee’s executives and other community leaders.
Buc-ee’s projects that the Crossville location will open in Summer 2022, a company spokesperson told CSP Daily News.
Meanwhile, Kituwah LLC and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) hqve revealed the first details of a 200-acre development in Sevierville, Tenn. The project, previously referred to only as Project 407 because it is on Interstate 40, Exit 407, has been named The 407: Gateway to Adventure. Buc-ee’s is the first company that will locate in the development, where it will build a flagship Buc-ee’s Family Travel Center.
At more than 74,000 square feet, the Sevierville location will be the company’s first “Big Store.” It will also have more than 120 fueling positions, electric=vehicle (EV) charging stations and a more than 250-foot car wash.
“Our goal is to be the first stop on everyone’s Smoky Mountain adventure, and Buc-ee’s is the perfect partner to ensure we give our customers a great beginning and ending to their family vacation. This is a business about excellence in customer experience with a huge fan following,” said Kituwah CEO Mark Hubble, who has helped other tribes nationally build tribal-owned businesses for the benefit of enrolled members.
“It is not a coincidence that we chose The 407 as our first big store location outside of Texas,” said Beard. “We will be the proverbial ‘welcome sign’ at the front door of the exceptional travel experience that the Smoky Mountains, Sevierville, and Sevier County has to offer. You won’t forget your first visit to Buc-ee’s and it won’t be your last! We are thrilled to share our over the top customer experience and be a pivotal part of the Kituwah and EBCI vision for the Gateway to Adventure.”
Sevierville Mayor Robbie Fox added, “With the largest Buc-ee’s Family Travel Center ever built anchoring this development, we believe the future at The 407: Gateway to Adventure will be incredible.”
Additional concepts for The 407: Gateway to Adventure could include a golf attraction, hotels, an ultimate sports experience, a state-of-the-art indoor go-kart facility, a distillery experience and unique “retailtainment” attractions that are a combination of both themed attractions and stores.
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