Arizona Is Finally Getting Its First Buc-ee’s, Breaks Ground on May 14

The Beaver Is Landing in Goodyear, AZ This May

The cult-favorite Texas mega-chain Buc-ee’s is FINALLY breaking ground in Arizona on May 14, 2025.

The groundbreaking ceremony kicks off at 10 a.m. at 1001 N. Bullard Avenue in Goodyear, just off I-10, with the mayor and city officials all showing up to worship at the altar of the beaver.

If you’ve never experienced a Buc-ee’s, buckle up. You’re about to discover why people literally plan vacations around these places.

Meet Buc-ee’s

Buc-ee’s is a chain of beaver-themed gas stations with convenience stores, food courts, and shopping into one beaver-themed extravaganza.

What began in 1982 as a humble 3,000-square-foot convenience store in Lake Jackson, Texas has morphed into a roadside religion.

Founder Arch “Beaver” Aplin III (yes, that’s his actual nickname) combined his moniker with his beloved Labrador Retriever “Buck” to create the Buc-ee’s name that’s now plastered at 51 locations across nine states.

Buc-ee’s Stores Are Ridiculously Huge

What separates Buc-ee’s from your average pit stop? Scale, for one.

Typically 50,000+ square feet with over 100 gas pumps per store. For comparison, your typical 7-Eleven is about 2,500 square feet.

Buc-ee’s Food is Really, Really Good

Buc-ee’s serves legitimate Texas barbecue with brisket sliced to order, fresh-made kolaches (Czech-inspired pastries), homemade fudge in dozens of flavors, and their signature Beaver Nuggets, addictive caramel-coated corn snacks that people hoard by the bagful.

Their “wall of jerky” has become legendary, featuring dozens of varieties made in-house. They also sell everything from freshly made sandwiches to tacos, branded candy, pickled everything, and enough snack options to sustain a small army.

Unlike most gas stations, people actually plan to eat meals here—on purpose.

The Bathrooms Are So Clean They’re Actually FAMOUS

Buc-ee’s built much of its reputation on having the cleanest bathrooms in America.

Each location features dozens of individual stalls (not just a few cramped ones), which are famously cleaned and checked on a continuous basis.

This bathroom obsession isn’t just marketing; they’ve actually won the national “Best Restroom in America” award for several years now, and it remains their proudest achievement.

The chain literally advertises their toilets on highway billboards with slogans like “Your Throne Awaits” and “Top Two Reasons to Stop at Buc-ee’s: Number 1 and Number 2.”

The Arizona Buc-ee’s Will Be Bigger Than a Football Field

The Goodyear Buc-ee’s will sprawl across 74,000 square feet. Nearly a quarter larger than a football field.

With 120 fueling positions, you could practically fill an entire NASCAR starting grid at once.

While impressive, Arizona won’t get the chain’s largest location. That honor belongs to the Luling, Texas store that opened in June 2024, measuring a mind-boggling 75,000 square feet.

Arizona Roadtrippers, Rejoice

Buc-ee’s didn’t just throw a dart at a map to pick Goodyear. As their real estate director Stan Beard put it, the spot is “perfectly placed for road-trippers headed out to California or coming in for the destination-rich Phoenix area.”

Translation: They’re strategically capturing both cross-country travelers and locals.

The Beaver Is Bringing Jobs to Arizona

More than 200 full-time jobs are coming to Goodyear, and these aren’t your typical minimum wage gigs.

Buc-ee’s has built a reputation for employee treatment that would make most retail workers weep with joy: starting salaries well above minimum wage, comprehensive benefits, a generous 6% 401(k) match, and—wait for it—three weeks of paid vacation.

You’re Gonna Have to Wait a BIT Longer Than Expected

While officials initially hoped to open the Goodyear location by Christmas 2025, the timeline has been extended.

According to a Buc-ee’s representative, the new projected opening date is June 2026 for Arizona’s first location.

Part of a Rapidly Growing Beaver Empire

The Arizona location joins Buc-ee’s rapidly expanding empire, which currently spans 50 locations across nine states.

What started as a Texas phenomenon has spread across the South like wildfire, with new outposts planned in Virginia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and beyond.

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