What) The Buc-ee's chain is known for its super-sized Interstate highway stores, but the one that opened in 2012 in New Braunfels is the biggest of all. The numbers are impressive: 60 gas pumps, 84 toilets, 80 soda dispensers, etc. Plus its owner, Arch "Beaver" Aplin, likes to stock his stores - including this one which is longer than a football field - with odd items, like "beaver nuggets."

    Outside there is a large bronze statue of the chain's mascot, a cartoon beaver with goggle eyes and a wide-open mouth, wearing sneakers and a baseball cap. It's a popular photo op, although you really don't want to hug Buc-ee after he's spent a day baking in the Texas sun. (1)

    Where) 2760 IH 35 N   I-35 exit 191. On the northbound I-35 Frontage Road just south of FM 306. 1-979-238-6390 

    Why) Just after I started this website in February, 2011, I received the following e-mail from someone I didn't know named Ralph Avery:

Hi Jason,

Sorry you started with one of the older Buc-ee's.   I'm sure if y'all had stopped at the one in Madisonville you would not have been disappointed.  The ones around Freeport are the early stores from the 90's when they were first starting out.  They're still clean, but like you said, they're better than average convenience stores.  (I still stop by there all the time though because the gas is cheap and the coffee's always fresh) The newest "Highway" Buc-ee's are colossal convenience stores with super sized, super clean bathrooms.  The stalls each have an entire sanitation area, and they have restroom attendants to keep it clean.

I think Pam, if she's anything like my wife, would have loved to have a clean bathroom on the road. Not to mention the full deli and all of the road snacks. Here are a couple Youtube links telling about the highway stores.  

Thanks.

Ralph 

    Well, the day to see the real Buc-ees has finally arrived.

I actually had my camera at the ready from the moment we crossed the border into Texas but this 87 mile sign was the first one I saw.

You see I really wanted to take some pictures of my own to add to ...

... my growing collection of forty-three Buc-ees billboard images.

Eventually we got to the promised land of sixty gas pumps but I was most surprised to see ...

... how "my" Buckys logo was displayed on everything.

I did not like the statue nearly as much as I like the logo but that didn't stop neither Pam nor I from ...

... giving him a hug and getting our picture taken. 

 

Once we made it inside Pam checked out the produce section while I ...

... had to decide what merchandise to purchase. I eventually went with ...

... one of these stuffed beavers as well as a t-shirt that you can see me wearing in another section.