Dive Brief:
- Buc-ee’s is planning to build its first convenience store in Nebraska off Interstate 80 in Gretna, the city announced in a press release on Wednesday.
- The city has been working with Buc-ee’s since last summer, according to the announcement. Leaders expect plans to be finalized in March, with a groundbreaking expected later this year. The buildout is estimated to last 18 months, Gretna Mayor Mike Evans confirmed to C-Store Dive.
- Nebraska is the first new state to emerge on Buc-ee’s expansion timeline this year and its third in the past 12 months.
Dive Insight:
While the pace of Buc-ee’s expansion has slowed, its venture into Nebraska shows the popular travel center chain is still very much set on reaching new parts of the country. In just the past year, Buc-ee’s opened its first site in Virginia, broke ground in Arizona and began the approvals process in Idaho and Utah.
“We are thrilled to have Buc-ee’s select a site in Nebraska and our community,” said Evans in the release. “Gretna’s location along I-80 makes it the perfect stop for travelers across the country, while also serving as another great experience for local residents.”
Mapping Buc-ee's store footprint beyond Texas
With the deal in its early stages, the size of the store and number of fueling positions are not yet finalized.
With Nebraska in the mix, Buc-ee’s either operates in or is working on locations in almost half of the continental U.S. So far it hasn’t made moves into the Northeast or the West Coast. It also doesn’t have stores in two of the three states bordering its home state of Texas, though Buc-ee's General Counsel Jeff Nadalo told The Oklahoman in 2024 that the retailer planned to expand to that state eventually.
