Gulfport? Pass Christian? What will be on T-shirts when Buc-ee’s opens in Mississippi?

Mary Perez
·4 min read
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Drivers on I-10 in South Mississippi can see the progress as the walls go up on Buc-ee’s travel center, and behind-the-scenes preparations are underway for opening day.

The plan is to open by Thanksgiving and capture the revenue from people traveling for the holidays, fueling their cars, filling their bellies, and shopping for souvenirs, decorations, gifts and treats.

Buc-ee’s uses billboards to draw thousands of cars a day off the interstate and into each of their nearly 50 super-sized travel centers.

Along I-10 in South Mississippi, billboards tell drivers to “hold it,” and give the miles to the next Buc-ee’s.

Once the opening day for Mississippi’s first Buc-ee’s gets closer, billboards in Alabama and Louisiana likely will entice drivers with words about the new travel center on the Mississippi Gulf Coast or in South Mississippi.

But what about the souvenir T-shirts, towels and other merchandise? What location will be printed on those?

Drivers are enticed to stop at Buc-ee’s travel centers with catchy billboards along the interstates. South Mississippi is waiting for construction to begin for it’s Buc-ee’s and new I-10 interchange.
Drivers are enticed to stop at Buc-ee’s travel centers with catchy billboards along the interstates. South Mississippi is waiting for construction to begin for it’s Buc-ee’s and new I-10 interchange.

Gulfport? Pass Christian? Something else?

When people buy a T-shirt at the Coast Hard Rock, it says “Biloxi.”

Souvenir and clothing shops in South Mississippi sell shirts and “merch” inscribed with Gulfport or Ocean Springs or Bay St. Louis.

So what will it say on the Buc-ee’s souvenir T-shirts sold at the new store? Gulfport, Long Beach and Pass Christian are the closest cities, although Buc-ee’s sits outside the limits of each.

The name and logo will be “Harrison County,” said a spokesperson for Buc-ee’s.

“Well, I would think so,” said Marlin Ladner, president of the Harrison County Supervisors who represents the area of the county where Buc-ee’s is being built. The county financed $15 million to rebuild the I-10 and Menge Avenue interchange to accommodate the amount of traffic Buc-ee’s is expected to draw.

There was no discussion between the county and Buc-ee’s about the logo or other promotion, he said.

Will Lander get an official Harrison County Buc-ee’s shirt? “I most definitely will,” he said.

Beach towels and some of the other merchandise sold at Buc-ee’s travel centers are personalized with the location, like this towel purchased in Alabama. What will be the loge for the South Mississippi store opening this fall?
Beach towels and some of the other merchandise sold at Buc-ee’s travel centers are personalized with the location, like this towel purchased in Alabama. What will be the loge for the South Mississippi store opening this fall?

Beaver swag on the way

“Saving the world from ordinary,” and “You can hold it,” are on the fun Buc-ee’s signs and bumper stickers that are sold at the travel centers across Texas and seven other states, with Mississippi among those on the way..

The Buc-ee’s Beaver, a buck-tooth mascot wearing a red cap, is everywhere — in plush toys, adorning shorts and hoodies, tank tops, swimsuits and towels.

Buc-ee’s swag fills a table at the 2023 groundbreaking for the travel center coming to Harrison County. The huge stores are filled with shelves and aisles to gifts, souvenirs and treats.
Buc-ee’s swag fills a table at the 2023 groundbreaking for the travel center coming to Harrison County. The huge stores are filled with shelves and aisles to gifts, souvenirs and treats.

Besides clothing and souvenirs, Buc-ee’s has wine glasses, cast iron pans, pillows and other housewares, plus Christmas ornaments and lots of seasonal and holiday decor.

The selection inspired a list of 50 best things to buy at Buc-ee’s. Shoppers can pick up a Buc-ee’s cooler to cart home or with them on vacation some of their renowned brisket or other sandwich makings. They can fill their pantry with Buc-ee’s famous nuggets, their many kinds of jerky, candied jalapenos, spicy pickled okra and other signature rubs and sauces.

Beaver toys celebrate the Buc-ee’s mascot and are among the huge variety of merchandise sold at the travel store. Some of the swag is personalized with the location, so what name will be on the T-shirts at the South Mississippi store?
Beaver toys celebrate the Buc-ee’s mascot and are among the huge variety of merchandise sold at the travel store. Some of the swag is personalized with the location, so what name will be on the T-shirts at the South Mississippi store?

Modern day old general store

Ladner was involved in all the talks to bring Buc-ee’s to Harrison County but says he’s never been inside one of the stores.

He isn’t surprised by the excitement about a Buc-ee’s on the Coast.

“It’s more than a service station,” he said. “It almost like a tourist attraction. I understand the restrooms are an attraction, too,” he said.

Buc-ee’s is known for having some of the cleanest restaurants on the road.

At last year’s groundbreaking in Harrison County, Ladner said Buc-ee’s seems to him to be a modern day version of the old general store.

Buc-ee’s founded and owner Arch “Beaver” Aplin and Brandi Hough, with the Harrison County Development Authority, pose with the Buc-ee’s mascot at the ground breaking for the future Harrison County Buc-ee’s location off I-10 in Harrison County on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023.
Buc-ee’s founded and owner Arch “Beaver” Aplin and Brandi Hough, with the Harrison County Development Authority, pose with the Buc-ee’s mascot at the ground breaking for the future Harrison County Buc-ee’s location off I-10 in Harrison County on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023.

Beaver’s CEO Arch “Beaver” Aplin III said his grandfather had a small general store in a small town in Louisiana when he was growing up. He played in that store as a kid and would pump gas, he said, but wasn’t let near the register or the candy aisle.

The Buc-ee’s are super-sized and filled with an array of something their customers may want, he said.

“It’s really going to be an asset to the Gulf Coast and Harrison County,” Ladner said, with Buc-ee’s serving an anchor store and drawing new businesses to the area of the county that has room to grow.

“Harrison County is a vibrant community with five thriving cities and stunning beaches,” said Stan Beard, a Buc-ee’s spokesman. “It’s perfectly situated along I-10 between our Texas and Alabama stores and we can’t wait to be the best place to stop on the Mississippi Coast.”