Buc-ee’s CEO Arch Aplin III reportedly said the rapidly expanding gas station and travel center chain will look toward “conservative, business-friendly” states when selecting sites for future locations.
Aplin made the remarks in a video clip posted by Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders as Buc-ee’s faces criticism for pursuing legal action against small businesses over allegedly similar logos and merchandise.
“We have a lot of opportunities. We’re growing. We’re building in a lot of places, but when you find a conservative, business-friendly state with a phenomenal workforce, it makes a difference,” Aplin said.
The CEO suggested Buc-ee’s would prioritize communities that welcome the company and recognize what its massive travel centers bring to an area.
“And I’m starting to realize life’s too short to try to build in places that people don’t appreciate what you’re bringing versus a place like this, where people do appreciate what you’re building,” Aplin continued.
Buc-ee’s currently operates locations in Texas, Arizona, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee. The popular chain also has a presence in Colorado, Missouri, Virginia and Ohio.
The company’s continued expansion has transformed Buc-ee’s into a chain of enormous travel centers and gas stations. Its locations are known for offering clean restrooms, large numbers of fuel pumps and distinctive selections of snacks and merchandise.
However, the company’s aggressive protection of its branding has sparked pushback in Ohio, where Republican Gov. Mike DeWine blasted Buc-ee’s decision to sue the operator of a local business in Beavercreek over alleged trademark infringement.
DeWine called the lawsuit “ridiculous.”
The legal dispute emerged as Buc-ee’s prepared to open a new travel center in Huber Heights, Ohio. The planned location is approximately 16 miles from Beaver’s Mini Mart, the small business targeted by the company’s lawsuit.
The move frustrated members of the Beavercreek community, including resident Sam Bryan.
“To see this, that they’re coming after a small business like this, it upset me like it did a lot of Beavercreek residents,” Bryan told Nexstar’s WDTN.
The Beavercreek case is not the first time Buc-ee’s has taken legal action against another business over claims involving its branding.
Last year, Buc-ee’s sued a store in Florida over alleged copyright infringement. The company also filed a lawsuit against an apparel business in South Carolina on similar grounds.
Aplin’s comments now signal that Buc-ee’s will weigh the political and business environment of prospective states while mapping out its continued growth.
For the company, states offering a welcoming climate, a strong workforce and support for new development appear set to receive priority as Buc-ee’s considers where to build its next giant travel centers.
