Buc-ee’s Is Muscling In On South Of The Border’s Territory

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If you’ve been reading this blog for any amount of time, you know that I’m a huge fan of nostalgia and kitsch. Doesn’t matter if it’s Tiki bars or old hotels redone “right,” I love ’em all. Here are some of the places we’ve visited:

• Our dinner at the Pan Am Experience (temporarily closed)
• The Cabazon Dinosaurs
• The Mai Kai (historic 1950s era Polynesian themed dinner show, currently closed for rehab but reopening in the coming months)
• Hillbilly Mini Golf
• Bedrock City (permanently closed)
• Land of Oz (open select weekends in summer and fall)
• The TWA Hotel
• The South Park guys have bought Casa Bonita (I haven’t been, but I am SO GOING when it reopens!)

There was also the glorious 6 hours I got to spend at South Of The Border, the tourist trap on Rt. I-95 that opened in 1949 in South Carolina, just south of the North Carolina Border.

And, of course, my #1 favorite, Buc-ee’s rest stops (here’s why I love Buc-ee’s so much). By the way, I’m in good company – Shaquille O’Neal says that Buc-ee’s is one of HIS favorite stores, too!

Here’s a great description of Buc-ee’s:

Buc-ee’s has been around since 1982, and until a couple of years ago, its stores and (cheap!) gas stations were only in Texas. But in 2019, their first location outside of the Lone State State opened, in Loxley, Alabama. Since then, they’ve also opened another location in Alabama (in Leeds), plus 2 each in Georgia (Warner Robins and Calhoun) and Florida (Saint Augustine and Daytona Beach. That last one is only 65 minutes from my house, by the way – BE STILL MY HEART! ;-))

Anyway, a friend of mine, Tim, recently sent me an article about Buc-ee’s, that included where the projected new stores would be in the next few years.

• Richmond, Ky., second-quarter 2022
• Florence, S.C., second-quarter 2022
• Crossville, Tenn., 2022
• Athens, Ala., 2023
• Auburn, Ala., 2023
• Sevierville, Tenn., 2023
• Smiths Grove, Ky., 2023
• Johnstown, Colo., 2024
• Hillsboro, Texas, 2025
• Harrison County, Miss., 2025
• Boerne, Texas, 2025
• Anderson, S.C., 2026

None of them are anywhere near me, but one of them caught my eye. You see that second one down? Florence, SC? That town is just about a half-hour south of South Of The Border.

You could call it a clash of kitsch.

I think it’s kind of interesting that the two will be so close, but I also question if Buc-ee’s will really make an impact on SOTB’s business. After all, a half hour is a long time on a car ride. But it’s also two very different offerings to prospective customers.

Buc-ee’s customers are there to go in and out. As a friend said on their first visit to the Daytona store, it’s like a Wawa got together with the merchandise section of a Cracker Barrel and had a baby with really clean bathrooms. You do your business, you get your coffee, brisket sandwich, beaver nuggets, and Buc-ee’s T-shirt, and you go on your merry way. SOTB is more of a “get out, stretch your legs, mosey around from store to store and maybe go up in the sombrero if it’s open” type of location.

Buc-ee’s is newer, more streamlined, and has much cheaper gas. SOTB had its heyday in the mid-20th century, when road trips were king (even when Joe stayed there in the mid-80s, he said it was starting to show its age). It still has lots and lots of fans (hello, I’m one!), and is even in the midst of some much-needed renovations. But it also admittedly saw its prime a while back.

Will it matter if Buc-ee’s starts muscling in on SOTB’s territory? Probably not. But for me, having both of them within a half hour or so of each other will be the grandest road trip EVER! 😉

***Many thanks to Tim B., who gave me the heads up about this very important topic that’s near and dear to my heart! 😉

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