Buc-ee's enthusiasts share excitement for new location in rapidly-growing Facebook Group

Missouri's first Buc-ee's travel center is less than a month from opening its doors and Beaver fans are already counting down.

More than 7,800 Facebook users are members of the public Facebook Group, "Fans Of Buc-ee's! Springfield, Missouri," which is dedicated to the Texas-based travel center company. Some members live just a few miles from the new store, many live in Springfield and a few are from out-of-state, looking forward to visiting southwest Missouri in the coming months.

The Facebook Group was started in late August by Laura Amy, a communications and marketing employee for Texas Snax, an online reseller of Buc-ee's merchandise. Texas Snax is not affiliated with Buc-ee's. Based in Dallas, Texas, Amy told the News-Leader that she has created numerous Facebook Groups for new Buc-ee's stores opening over the years. Some remain relatively small in size, like "Fans of Buc-ee's! Huber Heights OH" with around 2,700 members and others gain a lot of attention, like "Fans of Sevierville, TN Buc-ee's" with more than 60,000 members.

"It's a great way to connect with people who also love Buc-ee's and see our community grow," Amy told the News-Leader. "When Buc-ee's get a new location and (makes) even bigger moves to a new state, it's so cool to see a new wave of Buc-ee's fans."

Leading up to the official announcement of the Springfield location's grand opening, much of the chatter in the Facebook Group revolved around speculative opening dates. But group members also enjoy answering questions from first-timers and sharing photos from other Buc-ee's they've visited.

The Springfield Buc-ee's is hosting its grand opening on Monday, Dec. 11. Doors open at 6 a.m. and a ribbon-cutting ceremony will follow at 11 a.m.

In time for the holidays

With the Springfield grand opening less than two weeks before Christmas, some Buc-ee's fans plan on waiting for the holiday season to pass over before making a visit. Others have planned the entire holiday around it.

Facebook Group member Allison Deere of Harrison, Arkansas said rather than traditional gifts, her three teenagers decided they would rather visit the Springfield Buc-ee's.

The Deere family, made up of Allison, her husband David, 18-year-old daughter Destinee and 15-year-old sons Kody and Kolton, first visited a Buc-ee's in Leeds, Alabama, a drive of more than eight hours from their home in Harrison.

"Our family had heard about Buc-ee's from friends and thought we'd have to go," Deere told the News-Leader. "We walked in and dropped like $400 on merchandise. We have t-shirts, mugs, blankets, hats, et cetera. And don't get me started on the Beaver Nuggets."

A Buc-ee's staple snack, Beaver Nuggets are sweet corn puffs covered in caramel, comparable to Kellogg's Corn Pops and Honey Smacks.

On the other end of the holiday spectrum, Jennifer Emig of Mascoutah, Illinois plans on waiting until the new year to visit. She said she hopes to bring along her parents, who have never been to a Buc-ee's.

Emig's first experience at a Buc-ee's was in April 2022 at the location in Richmond, Kentucky, which is about a five-hour drive from Mascoutah.

"I went there without my husband and he was jealous. So we made a trip just overnight to Buc-ee's," Emig said with a laugh. "Literally that was our main purpose."

A few months ago, the Emigs road-tripped to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and stopped at three Buc-ee's in Crossville, Tennessee; Sevierville, Tennessee; and Richmond, Kentucky.

Emig said she learned about the Springfield location through one of the several Buc-ee's-related Facebook Groups she is a member of. Last December, she and her husband visited Branson and were excited to drive by the construction along Interstate 44. The drive from Mascoutah to Springfield is about three and a half hours, two hours less than the drive to the Richmond location, which is the current closest.

Emig told the News-Leader that she is most excited for cinnamon sugar Beaver Nuggets and the Buc-ee's Overbite, a quarter-pound chocolate bar that bears the Buc-ee's mascot's face.

Just down the road

For families like the Deeres and Emigs, visiting the Springfield Buc-ee's must coincide with a planned trip. But for locals like Jonathan Creech, who travel along I-44 every day, Buc-ee's is about to be a part of a daily routine.

Creech, who lives in Republic but works in Marshfield, said he drives along I-44 every morning around 5 a.m. He's looking forward to stopping in, when few places generally are open, to grab a quick breakfast at Buc-ee's.

More: Get ready, Beaver fans! Springfield's Buc-ee's to host grand opening on Dec. 11

Creech said he won't be able to stop by for the grand opening because he'll be at work, but plans on visiting for breakfast the day after on his way to Marshfield.

Originally from Texas, Creech, his wife and six children, are no strangers to Buc-ee's. He said the family enjoys the travel center's safe, clean bathrooms and variety of "fancy snacks."

April Stephens of Strafford lives and works even closer to the travel center.

"(My) initial response was less enthusiastic as that was an alfalfa field with lots of beautiful deer my entire life," Stephens told the News-Leader about the plot of land the Buc-ee's has been built on. "A huge gas station and the construction, plus closing I-44 access was very tough on our residents and outlying residents closer to the location."

Although she has never been to a Buc-ee's, Stephens said she is excited to check out the nearby location and plans on visiting around lunchtime on grand opening day.

Stephens added that she is looking forward to a gas station without semi-trucks too. Buc-ee's only serves passenger vehicles. The travel center is not intended for semi-truck drivers, which is indicated by signage places near each driveway entrance.

"It's my favorite part because in Strafford we have to navigate slow semi traffic on small roads constantly," Stephens said. "It's quite dangerous, so a place you can run in and out without risking your life is welcome."

Construction began on the 50,000-square-foot travel center last August on the northeast outskirts of Springfield. The center will feature 120 gas pumps.

Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Buc-ee's fans share excitement for opening in growing Facebook Group