When Buc-ee’s announced—and then opened—its massive store in Sevier County, everyone was obviously over the moon.
After all, the beloved beaver-themed Buc-ee’s Family Travel Center near Sevierville opened in 2023 as the world’s largest convenience store at the time.
But there are still a lot of questions about Buc-ee’s Sevierville location. So, let’s unfold them all one by one.
What is Buc-ee’s?
First of all, for those who might not be familiar with this grand store, Buc-ee’s is a convenience store chain based in Texas. It was founded back in 1982 in Lake Jackson.
Its first location outside of Texas opened in Alabama in 2019, spurring a rapid expansion throughout the Southeast and beyond with stores in states such as Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, and Colorado.
However, this is not just like any other convenience store. Wishing to offer road trippers and other travelers a space to fulfill all their needs, Buc-ee’s has become known for some of the largest convenience stores in the world.
Buc-ee’s claims to be “home of the world’s cleanest bathrooms, freshest food, and friendliest beaver.” So, many people intentionally travel to this convenience store and experience the enormous store filled with endless snacks, made-to-order meals, a gift shop, and clean bathrooms.
Why Do People Love Buc-Ee’s so Much?
There are many reasons why locals and people passing through love Buc-ee’s. But naturally, one of the reasons is food. In fact, they have all the fuel you need. For instance, they have beaver nuggets, or in other words, caramel-coated corn puffs, Texas-style brisket sandwiches, tons of fresh jerky, kolaches, drinks, and gas pumps galore.
Additionally, Buc-ee’s is like an enormous gift shop. If you are on a road trip and are looking for a small gift for friends and family, the store offers a large collection of t-shirts, hats, blankets, mugs, and many other items emblazoned with Buc-ee the Beaver.
Buc-ee’s Interesting Facts:
Buc-ee’s awarded bathrooms
As mentioned already, Buc-ee’s is praised for having the cleanest bathrooms. And indeed, they’ve been named and awarded as the cleanest in America. Furthermore, the bathroom award isn’t the only one Buc-ee’s can claim.
The convenience store also slid its way into the Guinness World Records twice. The first was for the largest convenience store in its New Braunfels, Texas, location. And the second is for the longest car wash with a conveyor at its Katy, Texas, location.
Buc-ee’s Mascot
Buc-ee’s is the creation of Arch Aplin and his business partner Don Wasek. The name and spelling are commonly tied to Aplin’s nickname, his dog Buck, and the Buccaneers mascot at his high school.
Furthermore, as a child, Aplin’s nickname was Beaver, and the cartoon beaver that appeared in the Ipana toothpaste commercials is often cited as an inspiration for the character. And so, when he set out to open his first convenience store, he commissioned the logo of “Buc-ee the Beaver.”
Buc-ee’s in Sevierville
In a news release, Stan Beard, Director of Real Estate for Buc-ee’s, said, “It is not a coincidence that we chose The 407 as our first big store location outside of Texas. 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.”
And indeed, Sevierville is the gateway to popular tourist attractions such as Dollywood in Pigeon Forge and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Therefore, for many travelers, this small town is their first stop before arriving at the final destination of their vacation.
So, as the world’s best convenience store and travel center, Buc-ee’s selected Exit 407 on I-40 near Sevierville as its new location. The gargantuan Buc-ee’s is located at 170 Buc-ee’s Boulevard in Kodak, Tennessee, on land owned by Kituwah, LLC and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The land had been acquired previously after being dormant for years due to a failed development. Therefore, this enormous project was highly anticipated.
In fact, as indicated by Stan Beard, the Sevierville Buc-ee’s was designed to be a vacation gateway by itself. Specifically, he said, “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.”
How big is Sevierville’s Buc-ee’s?
Buc-ee’s covers an enormous area of 74,000 square feet within the 200-acre development. It provides a total of 120 fueling positions, EV charging stations, and a car wash, which is nearly the length of a football field. At the time it opened, the previous largest Buc-ee’s location came in at about 66,000 square feet. Buc-ee’s has since opened a larger location in Luling, Texas, so Sevierville is no longer the world’s largest.
Other notable developments at Exit 407
As already noted, only part of the 200-acre development is used for the convenience store. The rest of the area is being developed in phases, with the larger project promoted as The 407: Gateway to Adventure and Smoky Gap.
Furthermore, the area around Buc-ee’s Sevierville is expected to feature more food, retail, and entertainment options, giving a glimpse into the Smoky Mountains experience. Additionally, the European theme park company Puy du Fou has announced plans to bring a unique historical attraction to the site. The immersive show is planned to be inspired by Cherokee soldiers who served in World War I.
When did Buc-ee’s in Sevierville open?
Sevierville’s enormous Buc-ee’s opened to the public on June 26, 2023.
Meanwhile, the store is now open for travelers heading to and from the Smokies.
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Final Thoughts
Undeniably, the Buc-ee’s store in Sevierville was a highly anticipated project many awaited. Overall, this fantastic convenience store chain is loved by many because it really is the dream for all travelers and road-trippers.
It serves everyone’s needs, whether that is simply filling your car’s tank, a relaxing stroll around its gift shop, having a delicious quick meal before continuing your journey, or even a fun day trip by participating in one of the various exciting activities around Exit 407.