It’s really happening. Big changes ahead at NC highway exit as Buc-ee’s breaks ground
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- Buc-ee'’s travel center could open in November 2027.
- The project could bring jobs and millions of dollars in property and sales taxes.
- Buc-ee’s estimates the store could attract 5 million to 6 million visitors annually.
Buc-ee’s founder Arch “Beaver” Aplin said he’s happy Alamance County officials reached out when they did about building the state’s first mega-size travel center in Mebane.
He was just moving past Orange County’s decision to reject Buc-ee’s first choice for its travel center off Interstates 40/85 in nearby Efland, Aplin said. He spoke to dozens gathered at Wednesday’s groundbreaking at 1425 Trollingwood-Hawfields Road in Mebane.
“We’re happy to be in an area, in a community, that wants it,” he said, noting North Carolina has been on the radar for some time.
“We just think it’s just a wonderful state up and down the Eastern coast, if you will, and — the interstate that runs through, the quality of people, the workforce, the labor pool that’s in North Carolina — we’re super excited about it,” Aplin said.
The 74,000-square-foot store — the size of 1.28 football fields — covers 34 acres and could open in November 2027. The Mebane City Council unanimously approved the project in 2024 for 650 parking spots, 120 gas pumps and 24 EV charging sites.
Where is NC’s first Buc-ee’s?
Its surroundings are a suburban travel corridor in transition.
Buc-ee’s sits on the edge of the 1,200-acre N.C. Commerce Park, a hub for industry and big trucks servicing UPS facilities and distribution centers for Lidl, Walmart and Amazon. Beyond that are modest homes, the historic Hawfields Presbyterian Church, and the Hawfields baseball field, along with a couple of small truck stops.
A mixed-use project is well underway north of the interstate — third & wood — which will bring 445,000 square feet of retail, restaurants, and medical space, plus 683 apartments.
Buc-ee’s will be good for Mebane, Alpin and several local officials and state lawmakers said. Mebane Mayor Ed Hooks thanked Alpin for Buc-ee’s partnership and its estimated $40 million investment in Alamance County.
“Today marks more than just the turning of dirt on a 30-some-acre site,” Hooks said. “Today, we plant the seeds of opportunity, growth and prosperity that will flourish for generations to come.”
Beard has estimated the travel center could draw 5 to 6 million visitors a year to the area. That has many local residents worried about the traffic through an already busy corridor.
N.C. Department of Transportation crews were busy Wednesday installing a new bridge for a new diverging diamond interchange over I-40/85. Buc-ee’s is paying roughly $10 million for the $38.7 million project, which also will add traffic lanes and signals to Trollingwood-Hawfields Road.
More Buc-ee’s locations could be on the way to North Carolina, Aplin said Wednesday.
“It’s taken a long time coming, but yes, with any luck and creeks don’t rise, we’ll have more in North Carolina,” Alpin said.
When and where is Buc-ee’s opening?
Company officials have said the store’s grand opening is tentatively scheduled for the end of 2027.
Buc-ee’s is located at Exit 152 off I-40/85, about 50 miles west of downtown Raleigh and 130 miles north of Charlotte.
What to expect when it opens?
Some people go to Buc-ee’s for the cheap gas, or to pick up snacks for the road. Others see Buc-ee’s as a destination, and it has developed a cult following.
The Mebane Buc-ee’s will feature a special “Garden of Local Heroes” in a prominent location to celebrate local firefighters, first responders and law enforcement, said state Rep. Dennis Riddell, a District 64 Republican.
“It’s going to be just for folks to pause and to be thankful for all of the first responders who keep us safe every day,” Riddell said.
Here’s are some of the other attractions:
- Clean bathrooms: They don’t just sparkle, they win awards, with dedicated attendants and tall privacy walls and doors.
- Fresh food: Buc-ee’s has the usual travel stop snacks, but breakfast, lunch and dinner also are sold. Popular items include fresh jerky, kolaches (a type of pastry), fresh fruit and salads, and freshly chopped and sauced Texas brisket, beef, and pork barbecue. “Texas, we’re a big brisket state, but we have a phenomenal pulled pork sandwich, and I think you should try it before you make an opinion. It’s pretty dang good,” Aplin said.
- Beavers everywhere: Buc-ee the beaver is on everything, from home goods and clothing to toys. And photo ops abound, from a life-size Buc-ee’s mascot to a metal Buc-ee the beaver statue outside, designed by Texas sculptor Clint Howard.
- No tractor-trailer trucks: Buc-ee’s is not a truck stop.
What will Buc-ee’s mean for Almance County?
- A Buc-ee’s attorney estimated the company will pay $120,300 in annual property taxes to the city and county. Project documents show an estimated $1.8 million in sales tax revenues.
- The travel center will also provide travelers with information about Mebane and the surrounding area, along with local art and goods.
- Buc-ee’s could hire 200-plus full-time employees. The company offers 401(k) matching, paid vacation and health insurance, plus typical wages of $14 to $17 an hour for cashiers, bathroom attendants and warehouse staff; up to $20 for food service workers; and $20 to $35 for managers.
“This is a big day for us,” Alamance County Commissioners Chair Kelly Allen said. Not only for the property and sales tax money coming to Mebane and the county, but also the jobs.
“I am sure that people are going to be thrilled to death that they’re going to be able to come down here and get a job and work in a wonderful place like Buc-ee’s,” she said.
Why is the Buc-ee’s mascot a beaver?
Aplin’s mother gave him the childhood nickname “Beaver” when he was born. It comes from a cartoon mascot, “Bucky Beaver,” who appeared in Ipanna Toothpaste commercials in the 1950s. The travel center’s name also honors Aplin’s Labrador retriever, “Buck.”
How big is Buc-ee’s?
Buc-ee’s has 55 stores in 15 states. The 74,000-square-foot Mebane store will be big, but not the biggest. That honor goes to a 75,593-square-foot Buc-ee’s travel center in Luling, Texas — for now.
In 2027, a 76,245-square-foot Buc-ee’s could open in Fort Pierce, Florida, Sebastian Daily reports.
This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 3:25 PM with the headline "It’s really happening. Big changes ahead at NC highway exit as Buc-ee’s breaks ground."
