Check this out, new Buc-ee’s locations are coming soon! So where will these new locations be? Will any of them be anywhere near us here in the CSRA? I’ve done some digging and scoured the internet to try and get more information. Let me tell you what I’ve been able to find so far.
By the way, if you’re not familiar with Buc-ee’s, they’re a Texas based gas station and convenience store unlike anything you’ve ever seen before! They’ve got their own line of snacks, drinks, apparel and more! It’s like the Walmart of gas stations. Going to Buc-ee’s is an experience. If you ever have the chance to visit one, do yourself a favor and definitely check it out.
According to Finance Buzz, there are nine new Buc-ee’s locations on the way. Did y’all hear that? Nine! So where will they be?
None of those are really near us at all! Can’t Grovetown or Aiken get a dang Buc-ee’s?! I suppose Anderson, South Carolina would be the closest Buc-ee’s to us. According to Google the distance from Augusta to Anderson is one hour and 56 minutes. By comparison, the Buc-ee’s in Calhoun Georgia is three hours and 19 minutes away, and the Buc-ee’s in Florence South Carolina is two hours and 20 minutes away.
I guess all of us here in the CSRA will have to wait just a little longer to get our own Buc-ee’s. In the meantime, I suppose we’ll all just have to take the road trip to Anderson. If you want to read the full article from Finance Buzz about the new Buc-ee’s locations, just click here.
Yesterday, my fiance, David, and I went to Buc-ee’s in Florence, South Carolina. And yes, we mainly went to Florence to check out Buc-ee’s. But there’s more to the story… I’ll explain! Also, while we were in Florence, we discovered a place called Booty Brothers. I’ll elaborate on that too!
Buc-ee’s Florence, South Carolina
So, why did we drive 150 miles just to go to Buc-ee’s? Well, first of all, neither of us had ever been to a Buc-ee’s. And, I know, that doesn’t sound like reason enough to make that drive. But, back at the end of December, we traded in our 2014 Harley-Davidson Street Glide for a 2022 Road Glide. In the process of making that decision, we both acknowledged if we were going to upgrade, we need to actually make more of an effort to ride the motorcycle.
On top of needing to ride the motorcycle more, we also decided this summer we need to get out and explore more. David decided he wanted to start taking day trips to places we’d never been. One place he’d never been was Athens, Georgia. So we took that trip a few weeks ago. Then neither of us had ever been to Beaufort, South Carolina, so we made that trip the previous weekend.
We’ve heard a lot about Buc-ee’s and decided we’d check it out. Honestly, my expectations weren’t super high. I thought… It’s just a convenience store. I didn’t quite understand the hype. But we Googled to find the address. Technically, the Fort Valley, Georgia location is closer. But, both of us are from just south of Atlanta, and we’ve both been to Fort Valley at some point in our lives. Since we’d never been to Florence, that was where we decided to go.
Quite The Experience
I will say… Buc-ee’s is definitely more than just your average convenience store! That place was PACKED! We did manage to talk to an employee who said Thursday through Sunday are their busiest times. And with summertime, so many people are heading to and from Myrtle Beach. The employee also told us that while this location of Buc-ee’s is smaller than most, it’s their second busiest store in the company! They’ve got over 120 gas pumps too. It’s insane! I didn’t think we were even going to find a parking spot.
It took us a while to manuever through the crowd in store to really check everything out. Of course, you have your traditional convenience store items: snacks, drinks, etc. But then there’s so much more. There’s pretty much everything you can imagine: clothing, hats, beach gear, hunting gear, bathing suits, plus even more food.
Lunch At Buc-ee’s
We heard their brisket sandwiches are good… so we waited in a long line to grab a sandwich. And we also picked up some Beaver Chips, which are basically homemade potato chips. After grabbing the sandwiches, chips, and a drink, we headed outside. We were hoping to find spot to eat. I was surprised there weren’t any picnic tables around. Or maybe there were some on the other side? We wound up finding a quiet spot on the sidewalk and had a little picnic.
I will say… the chopped brisket sandwich was delicious! Between the sandwiches, the chips, and a drink, it was about $20 for lunch, but it was filling and yummy. You definitely want to grab some napkins though, because it was a little messy!
After lunch, we went back in to grab something sweet. I also wanted to get a shirt too… because you have to, right? We wound up getting 2 chocolate chip cookies, a pecan bar, and a red velvet cake ball from the bakery. And WOW! They were all delicious.
Overall, I was really impressed. First of all, I wasn’t expecting it to be that big of a thing! I will say, while we were eating lunch, there were some people coming out complaining about the experience– which I’m assuming was because of the crowd of people. But honestly, what did you expect? Even though the place was crowded, I will say the customer service was on point! They get you through those check out lines super fast. The store is super clean, well-stocked, and the employees are friendly.
Booty Brothers?
Since we were going somewhere new, I decided to check out what was around. I’ve been in the market for a new pair of boots for a while, so anytime we go somewhere, I try to find a boot store. I Googled boot stores in Florence, South Carolina… and one of the first search results? Booty Brothers Western & Work Boots. The 12-year-old that I am definitely giggled at the name. Based on just the name alone, I decided we HAD to check it out. And conveniently, it was just 6 miles from Buc-ee’s!
On Sundays, Booty Brothers is open 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. but the door says 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. We talked to the guy there and he said the reason they are transitioning to 1:30 p.m. is because their pastor has been going longer with his sermons… so they were trying to give themselves time to finish at church before opening the store. And I thought that was pretty great!
Walking in, the first thing I noticed… the glorious smell of leather! I love that smell. And then I saw all the boots! They have a ton of boots there. Honestly, I complain about some stores not having enough of a selection… but then get overwhelmed when I have TOO many to choose from. Needless to say, I did spend a lot of time trying on a bunch of boots. And I’m pretty sure I tried on the same ones a few times trying to decide. But I finally chose a pair.
There was one pair that I really wanted, but they were a bit too flashy for daily wear… but I think they’d be perfect for Guitar Pull. So I might just have to make a trip back to Booty Brothers before November!
If you’re heading to Myrtle Beach this summer, I definitely recommend you swing by Booty Brothers to check ’em out.
Photos From Buc-ee’s and Booty Brothers
Bryan “Dub” Axelson is the host of the Kicks Wake Up Krew on KICKS 99 and has been with Beasley Media Group in Augusta for over 20 years. He got his start in radio by being a regular caller on the Kicks 99 morning show. He was soon hired and has worked in various roles in Augusta, including Promotions Director. He was raised in Georgia, and currently lives in Grovetown with his wife Kelsey, their daughter Maddie, and their 3 dogs. Dub enjoys watching sports, playing golf, spending time with his family, and discovering new music.
