Buc-ee's breaks ground on its first Arizona location

The Disneyland of convenience stores is one milestone closer to opening its first location in Arizona.

On Wednesday morning, city officials, community members and company ownership gathered on an empty lot south of Interstate 10 and Bullard Avenue in Goodyear. A country-style theme song with lyrics of “Buc-ee’s got me coming back for more” and “Beaver Nuggets crunching in my hand, fresh brisket like a promised land,” played in the background as the group broke ground on the first Buc-ee’s in Arizona.

Buc-ee’s, a popular Texas-based chain of giant gas stations and convenience stores, is set to open its Goodyear location in the summer of 2026.

“They’re gonna be an excellent addition to this city,” Goodyear Mayor Joe Pizzillo told the crowd at the groundbreaking ceremony, noting that the location outside of the growing city’s downtown district will provide a “significant boost to our community.”

The more than 74,000-square-foot retail store will be a convenience destination for travelers along Arizona’s portion of the I-10. It will also feature 120 fueling stations, 713 parking spaces and a 22-foot-tall Buc-ee’s sign topped with the signature beaver logo.

The store, which has a cult-like following, is known for its clean bathrooms, Beaver Nuggets and other Southern-inspired food and snacks. The chain started in 1982 and now has more than 50 locations in Texas, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and more.

The Goodyear location will be the very first Buc-ee’s west of Texas, providing a “landmark destination for travelers across the West Coast,” Pizzillo said.

But, it’s not the first Buc-ee’s along the I-10. There are several stores along the highway in Texas, where the company originated, Buc-ee’s co-founder Arch “Beaver” Aplin told attendees on Wednesday. Continuing along the interstate motivated the company to choose Goodyear for its next location.

Despite Buc-ee’s loyal customer base in Texas and parts of the southeastern U.S., many Arizonans might be unfamiliar with the company. Still, Aplin is excited about the opportunity to show “the communities to the west and the people traveling, what we do and what we have to offer.”

Buc-ee’s will also bring more than 200 jobs to Goodyear, with pay that blows “minimum wage out of the water here,” Aplin said.

Arizona travelers will have to wait a little longer to check out the new location, but Aplin teased an exciting grand opening and told attendees, “Y’all come back then.”