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BUC-EE’S STORY

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Ever since our inception in 1982, we have been committed to providing a clean, friendly, and in stock experience for our customers. Regardless of where you may find us, if the store is big or small, near or far, the mission remains the same.

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UponArriving

Buc-ee’s Ultimate Guide (Locations & Facts) [2024]

If you’ve ever been on a road trip in Texas chances are you or someone in your car has wanted to stop at Buc-ee’s. Over the years, Buc-ee’s has established itself as a distinctly Texan establishment.

But what exactly does Buc-ee’s have to offer that makes it so special?

In this article, I’ll give you the ultimate guide to Buc-ee’s.

You’ll see what exactly is so special about this oversized convenient store and what you can expect when you visit different locations.

Table of Contents

What is Buc-ee’s?

Buc-ee’s is a chain of travel centers (convenience stores) that can be found throughout Texas and the South.

The stores are known for their enormous gas station facilities, wide range of food and snack offerings, and most of all: ultra-clean bathrooms .

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Things to know about Buc-ee’s

The store that never sleeps (open 24 hours).

All Buc-ee’s locations are open 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. So even on major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas you can still experience a good ole Buc-ee’s visit.

What’s more, the stores are often well lit and with all of the security cameras (see below), they generally feel like pretty safe places to stop at.

Related: How Long Does It Take to Drive Across Texas?

Crowds can be an issue

Even though some Buc-ee’s locations are absolutely huge and can cater to throngs of customers, crowds and traffic can still be an issue.

If traveling on a weekend, especially around the holidays, you might have to wait or get aggressive to find an open gas pump.

And when venturing inside, you could run into a madhouse as soon as you pass that little buck-tooth beaver statue outside.

These stores are designed to cater to massive amounts of people so big crowds are not always a problem. Hordes of people seem to move in and out without a lot of issues.

But if you’re expecting a quiet and peaceful visit to a gas station bathroom, you won’t always get that at Buc-ee’s.

For some, the chaos just isn’t worth it.

40+ locations (not only in TX)

To the dismay of many Texans, Buc-ee’s is no longer an exclusively Texan establishment.

In 2019, Buc-ee’s opened their first convenience store/gas station outside of Texas in Alabama.

And now you can now find 40+ locations in states all over the south including Georgia.

More states are being added to the Buc-ee’s roster and you’ll soon be able to find locations in states like Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi.

Related: How Many Miles Do You Cover When Driving Across the US?

The eyes of Buc-ee’s are upon you

Some Buc-ee’s locations are known to have high levels of surveillance. For example, the Bastrop location has about 200 high-tech cameras .

These are those movie-like cameras that can zoom in and reveal fine details like the type of bill you used to pay for your purchase.

You could be tracked from the time you enter the parking lot to the time that you leave so you don’t want to test the beaver.

Hopefully you don’t ever have to worry about this but if something ever goes down you will need to file a police report and then request for the police to request the surveillance footage from the store.

There’s a Buc-ee’s credit card

The Buc-ee’s credit card, issued by TDECU (Texas Dow Employees Credit Union), will get you $.10 off every gallon and comes with no annual fee.

In terms of rewards, this is not the most rewarding travel credit card but for a true Buc-ee’s fan, it might be worth picking up. You can find out more details about the credit card here .

Not every one wants Buc-ee’s

Believe it or not, not every place on the globe is eager to add a Buc-ee’s.

 Efland, North Carolina did not want one.

They worried it would “would worsen traffic congestion, pollute a protected watershed, and offend aesthetic sensitivities.” 

Those seem like some pretty legit concerns so you can’t knock the town but it all probably just comes down to the fact that not everyone outside of Texas will “get” Buc-ee’s.

Where the name came from

Buc-ee’s was founded in 1982 which means that it will turn 40 years old in 2022.

The owner and co-founder, a Texas A&M graduate ( whoop! ), went by the name of Arch “Beaver” Aplin III and he apparently always had a liking for the Ipana toothpaste mascot known as “Bucky the Beaver.”

One look at that logo and you can see where the inspiration came from for Buc-ee’s.

Not every Buc-ee’s is bigger in Texas

To give you a sense of how big the Buc-ee’s stores can be, consider that the New Braunfels, TX, location boasts:

• 120 fueling positions
• 1,000 parking spots
• 64 ice freezers
• 31 cash registers
• four Icee machines
• and 80 fountain dispensers

The entire New Braunfels store is 66,335 square feet, which is more square feet than a football field .

Seriously, a gas station bigger than a football field.

Only in Texas.

But this may come as a surprise: not every Buc-ee’s location is the size of a small airport or shopping mall.

Several locations are actually quite compact and closer to the size of your regular convenience store.

Many of these smaller locations are in Texas so if you see an out-of-state Buc-ee’s, there’s a good chance that will be on the bigger side.

Bathrooms are NOT overrated

You’ve probably heard about the award-winning bathrooms at Buc-ee’s.

While some gas stations look like a scene from the movie Saw , Buc-ee’s stores are famous for being the cleanest bathrooms you’ll find on the road and in my experience it’s always true.

In fact, the pristine bathrooms found at Buc-ee’s are probably the number one reason why people stop at Buc-ee’s.

But they aren’t just spotless — the bathrooms also are usually huge and spacious.

I’ve never seen a wait for a urinal and only on a couple of occasions have I seen a real line for the stalls.

In the men’s room, you can find walls of urinals with deep floor to ceiling partitions that actually give you real privacy.

For people traveling with families, the consistently clean and private bathrooms are even more attractive.

Bottom line: if you ever need to go on the road, Buc-ee’s is definitely where you want to be.

And just in case you were wondering, you don’t actually have to buy anything to use the bathroom there.

You’ll have plenty of food and drink options at Buc-ee’s

Buc-ee’s will have just about every type of snack item you could possibly be craving, including their famous “Beaver Nuggets” which are a sweet combination of caramel, sugar, and butter coated corn puffs.

Prices sometimes feel a little high but some popular items to pick up at the store include:

• Dippin dots
• Icees (lots of flavors)

If you’re looking for specific suggestions consider these:

• Hill Country turkey jerky
• Bohemian garlic jerky
• Salted caramel covered pretzels
• Rhino breakfast taco
• Mediterranean salad wrap

Some locations have a barbecue stand called the Texas Round Up where you can buy pre-made chopped brisket sandwiches, pulled pork, turkey, sausage, etc.

In my experience, the food is not always phenomenal but a solid notch or two above your standard gas station food.

It’s perfect when you’re looking for something quick and hearty on the road.

In terms of barbecue quality, you could certainly do better in Texas by hunting out a BBQ joint.

But the beauty of Buc-ee’s is that it’s highly convenient to pick up a hot BBQ sandwich while also filling up your tank and not having to gamble on the bathroom situation.

The shopping at Buc-ee’s goes well beyond food and drink, though.

You can find all kinds of apparel, souvenirs, and random items.

If your location is near a tourist hotspot with a particular type of attraction then you’ll find gear for your visit such as fishing rods, beach supplies, river tubes/shoes, hunting gear, etc.

Buc-ee’s is NOT a truck stop

Buc-ee’s are not truck stops and so you are not going to find any showers or a lot of 18 wheelers hanging around.

In fact, you can often find “no 18 wheelers” signs posted at the entrances.

The reason for this is to keep Buc-ee’s like it is, a family friendly environment without some of the “hassles” that come with truckstops.

Many truckers are unhappy with being denied access to Buc-ee’s — after all, without massive shipments coming in from truckers how else could Buc-ee’s exist?

But one thing is clear, Buc-ee’s is serious about keeping out 18 wheelers and will even escort drivers out of the store who try to make their way in.

They pay great

Working at Buc-ee’s can be a lucrative job opportunity because their employees are well paid.

According to GlassDoor , “The average  Buc – ee’s hourly pay  ranges from approximately $16 per hour for a Cashier to $18 per hour for a Team Lead.”

That’s some really good money.

Meanwhile, the typical  Circle  K  Cashier salary  is earning $10 per hour and many convenient stores will be closer to $9 per hour.

These mega-convenience stores can get incredibly busy so it helps tremendously to have employees getting sufficiently compensated so that they can help keep things moving at a quick pace.

You may not have windshield cleaners

If there is one major weakness of some Buc-ee’s locations, it’s that they don’t have windshield cleaners or squeegees located at the pumps.

This means that your bug splattered windshield will have to remain dirty on your long journey to you next destination, unless you have some way to clean it yourself.

They have car washes

While you may not find windshield cleaners, some locations have car washes.

As you would expect some of these car washes are going to be quite large just like the one in Katy, Texas, which is the largest car wash in the world.

Gas may or may not be cheaper

I’ve seen gas at Bucee’s priced both a little bit lower and a little bit higher when compared to nearby gas stations.

Buc-ee’s locations

• 2328 Lindsay Lane South, Athens, AL 35613
• 2500 Buc-ee’s Blvd., Auburn, AL 36832
• 6900 Buc-ee’s Blvd., Leeds, AL 35094
• 20403 County Rd. 68, Robertsdale, AL 36567
• 5201 Nugget Road, Berthoud, CO 80513

Daytona Beach

• 2330 Gateway North Drive, Daytona Beach, FL 32117

Saint Augustine

• 200 World Commerce Pkwy, Saint Augustine, FL 32092
• 601 Union Grove Rd. SE, Adairsville, GA 30103

Warner Robins

• 7001 Russell Parkway, Fort Valley, GA 31030
• 1013 Buc-ee’s Boulevard, Richmond, KY 40475

Smiths Grove

• (Opening 2024)

Mississippi

Harrison county.

• (Opening TBD)

Springfield

• 3284 Beaver Rd, Springfield, MO 65803

South Carolina

• (Opening 2025)
• 3390 North Williston Road, Florence, SC 29506
• 2045 Genesis Road, Crossville, TN 38555

Sevierville

• 170 Buc-ee’s Blvd, Kodak, TN 37764
• 780 Hwy-35 N Byp, Alvin, TX 77511
• 2299 E Mulberry St, Angleton, TX 77515
• 931 Loop 274, Angleton, TX 77515
• 2304 W Mulberry St, Angleton, TX 77515
• 1700 Highway 71 East, Bastrop, TX 78602
• 4080 East Freeway, Baytown, TX 77521
• 801 N Brooks, Brazoria, TX 77422
• 1101 S Brooks St, Brazoria, TX 77422 (Closed)
• 27106 US-290, Cypress, TX 77433
• 2800 S Interstate 35 E, Denton, TX 76210
• 505 E Main St, Eagle Lake, TX 77434
• 1402 South IH- 45, Ennis, TX 75119
• 15901 N Freeway, Fort Worth, TX 76177
• 4231 E. Hwy 332, Freeport, TX 77541
• 1002 N Brazosport Blvd., Freeport, TX 77541
• 2375 E Austin St, Giddings, TX 78942
• 27700 Katy Fwy, Katy, TX 77494

Lake Jackson

• 899 Oyster Creek Drive, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
• 101 N Hwy 2004, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
• 598 Hwy 332, Lake Jackson, TX 77566

League City

• 1702 League City Pkwy, League City, TX 77573
• 10070 West IH 10, Luling, TX 78658

Madisonville

• 205 IH-45 South, Madisonville, TX 77864
• 1550 Central Texas Expressway, Melissa, TX 75454

New Braunfels

• 2760 IH 35 North, New Braunfels, TX 78130
• 2541 S Main St, Pearland, TX 77584
• 11151 Shadow Creek Pky, Pearland, TX 77584

Port Lavaca

• 2318 W Main, Port Lavaca, TX 77979
• 1243 Crabb River Rd, Richmond, TX 77469
• 5005 E Interstate 30, Royse City, TX 75189
• 4155 N General Bruce Dr., Temple, TX 76501
• 506 W. IH 20, Terrell, TX 75160
• 6201 Gulf Fwy (IH 45), Texas City, TX 77591
• 40900 US Hwy 290 Bypass, Waller, TX 77484
• 10484 US 59 Road, Wharton, TX 77488

Find locations here .

Buc-ee’s is a must stop for millions of people every year when traveling through Texas and now through the South.

Beyond the broad food selection, spotless bathrooms, and absurd number of gas pumps, there’s just something special about the store that gets a lot of people excited.

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

63 comments

Perhaps to bring a Bucee’s here in this military town of jacksonville, nc called camp Lejeune, nc…….. Maybe you all can lively up the place. Cause it need it here.

Or bring one up here in Harrison Ohio … we need something ! 😂

Saundra, Jacksonville. like New Bern, where I live are too far from I-95. All of Buc-ees are located right off exit ramps of interstates. Florence, SC is the closest location to ENC so its not that far. Maybe someday in Fayetteville but I doubt NC will see a Buc-ees after what Efland (Chapel Hill) did.

I live here ENC I went to the one in Florence SC this past weekend for the first time. It was definitely an experience the beef brisket sandwich was absolutely delicious!! I agree this part of NC will probably never have a Buc-ees come to this part of the south. A lovely weekend ride is worth the trip.

Bring one to locust Grove. Y’all mentioned it in 2019 then nothing ever came about. Henry County game is the fastest growing counties in the U.S

We love Buc-ee’s!! My family seriously considered to relocate to Texas, just to live near Buc-ees. Going to Buc-ees is the needed fun road trip break that is so so needed for a family road trip. Perfect restrooms, working available, no waiting at the gas pumps and a million fun things to buy… and oh the delicious food, not at all what you would expect at a gas station. Freshly prepared sandwiches, salads, bakery items etc., etc. Perfect stop for a family or anyone who wants a clean convenient stop. You can stretch your legs and everyone leaves happy! Grand Rapids, Michigan NEEDS a Buc-ee’s. As does Springfield, ILL and Springfield, MO.

Very nicely put! Would love for Buc-cees to come out west!

Agree 100%. That’s why my family loves them.

Just curious, we share the same surname. Do you have relatives in Florida, Georgia or Texas?

I agree . Do you know if there’s one I can take my husband too? We will be coming from North Louisiana headed to Traverse City/ Maple City Michigan!

This a interchange, south of Madisonville of I69 and the Western Kentucky Parkway that would be ideal for a store Location. This is a main crossroad from East to Louisville to West Paducah Kentucky, South to Nashville , Tenn. North to Evansville ,In. There is no store within 10mile area. Just a heads up for a location. With elimination of coal mining, this area needs good paying jobs. Madisonville exit 42is also prime area.

Please built one here longs SC

2 questions: Will there be a Buc-EE’S coming to Louisiana and if so where? Why not put some tables outside for people to sit and eat? Some of us don’t like eating in our vehicle or standing! I LOVE BUC-EE’S! I live in Louisiana and will drive 5 hours just to go there. I know it is closer to go to Alabama and there will be one in Mississippi soon but I love the one is Baytown!

The reason for no tables is because even though they sell food it is still a convenience store and gas station. They want to turn a profit like any other business and if they put tables and chairs in then, those customers are using up prime real estate for parking for other customers. That being said if they put the tables and umbrellas out by the grass areas for dogs, or closer to the windshield/air stations then I could see that as a plus, but I don’t think that will be coming to any Buc-ee’s as that would cost more than what they are willing to spend for upkeep.

We need another Bucees in FL around Lakeland Fl

I enjoyed my first trip to ur store in Terrell, any chance for a store (big or small) going up near Tyler on I-20. Several new places are opening on FM 14 exit, only 1 of 2 roads into Tyler! A move closer would be great. It’s over 60 miles to get Buc-ee’s now!

Visited your store in Daytona, Florida, great experience, would you consider placing a store in Gibson, PA?

Would love to have a Buc-ee’s in Barlow, KY. We are a small rural town in far Western KY. How can I get in touch with someone in management?

Please correct this post. The windshield cleaners are NOT at the pumps at the bigger stores so people can get their gas and move. TYPICALLY, there ARE squeegees and cleaners off to the side, and from my experience in the rear, to avoid congestion of customers coming in and out of the parking lot. The squeegees at the larger stores are also not your TYPICAL length handles (at least the ones here in Texas that I have gone to at the larger stores).

have never been able to find squeegees at any buc-ees!

The 2 in FL are great. Another possible location off I 95 with space for a large store is Indrio Road in St. Lucie County. Halfway between Vero Beach and Port St. Lucie. I think exit 146. The 2 in FL off 95 are always real busy. This location is not far from the intersection of I 95 and The FL Turnpike. An A 1 location.

For those who want squeegees, Buc ees can import the numerous skells who maraud your vehicle at traffic lights here in NYC and apply a filthy rag to your windshield

I am Agent for Hamilton County Development Authority, Jasper, Fl, with a I-75 Location at Se Quadrant of Exit 467, Jennings , Fl and have city water & sever and Cell tower; Have incentives available to encourage development of a fueling location. Excellent visability and is the first exit in Florida going south. I have tried without any success to contact anyone at the corporate. Please advise with whom we should communicate . Regards, J. T. Bounds, Fl Broker/Agent for Hamilton County Development Authority, Josh Smith, Director.

Please bring a BUC-EES to Middle Indiana. Just found 2 in Georgia and am now hooked on the store!!

We need a Bucees in Athens Tennessee!!

I was wondering if Buc-ees offered sugar free items in the store. Diabetics have a hard time at convenient stores trying to find the right food to eat.

I love going to Buck-ees here in Leeds AL. They are always very clean and you can find about anything you need there. There is 1 issue that I have seen on numerous occasions is people parking at the gas pumps and getting gas and then going shopping inside the store leaving their vehicle at the pump. The gas pumps are not a parking area for shopping. . .

The first Buc-ee’s outside of Texas opened in Alabama in Jan 2019. I think they were looking at locations in FL and LA, but the Baldwin County, AL location opened before any other ones outside the Texas.

We stopped at the store in Florence South Carolina recently! I purchased some salt water taffy, when I got home to Florida I checked the date of expiration it was over two years old!! Check the dates on they’re products!

Love Bucees, you can eat off their bathroom floors they are so clean!

Stopped at Daytona and added another hour to my trip. Well worth it and I still didn’t see it all! Maybe Virginia and West Virginia can be next!

Driving from Savannah to NJ I stopped in Florence SC location. It was amazing to see all that Buc- ees has to offer. I was very impressed with size, quality of food and efficiency of the employees. Well done!!

please open one in Michigan, metro Detroit area!

When will Buc- ees open in Springfield, Mo?

April 5, 2027

There is a rumor that you will be coming to Millbrook, Al on the interstate. Is this true ?

Please put a Buc Ees in Ohio!! They are the greatest!!!

I absolutely love Buc-ees, but since I moved from Florida back to Ohio, there aren’t any 🙁 My town is right on I-75. Any chance of expanding to include Ohio? Us Northern folks like shopping at Buc-ees, too!

Thanks, Deb

We need one in Oklahoma!!

The wife and I a lot but we always have our travel trailer with us. So does Buc-ee sell auto diesel for pickup truck

We stopped at the Bucees in Adair, GA on the way back to East Tennessee from visiting Grandma’s house. We had our 8 month grandson with and it was around 9pm and time for him to eat. We stopped at that Bucees as we always do coming home from her house, and needed to heat a bottle to make his cereal. When we went in, we asked about a microwave to warm his milk, and the young man said the only microwave was the employees. I asked if he could just warm the bottle for us, so he asked his supervisor and she said No. So we asked at the checkout to see the Manager, who also said we could not use the microwave there. We were very upset at the fact that they would not help. Did not do our normal shopping we always do there, but left and drove across the road to Loves, where they were ever so helpful and accommodating, help us warm his bottle, we made his cereal, got him fed and brought him on home. They are putting one in one exit down from our exit in Sevierville/ Kodak, where our daughter is a Police Officer, and they were very distraught to hear that they would not have microwaves there to accommodate when they had to warm their meals on the run that they carry during their shifts, and where they would get drinks and such hat they might need to go along with their meals. I think they need to rethink their decision to not have microwaves as they are a necessity for those traveling with babies. Also our friend told us about the fact that they don’t have windshield wash at the gas pumps either. We will no longer be patronize Bucees if they are not going to accommodate their customers needs.

I can’t wait to visit Bucee’s Planning a trip just for that. Liz NM

Please come to Surprise, az 303 and the 10.. we will welcome you in a heartbeat, please please come to the west. We have nothing like your wonderful store. Love love your store.

Just had my first Buc-ees experience. OMG. It was amazing. You were welcomed at the door as you came in and everyone was so friendly and helpful. And the bathrooms were amazingly clean. Even had an attendant that kept the line of people flowing through quickly. Never pass up an opportunity to stop there if you get a chance. The only thing that I found disturbing was the fact that when it is time to switch their sandwiches from the breakfast items to the brisket sandwiches the toss all the leftover breakfast items in the trashcans. I was talking to one of the employees when it was time for the switch over and she said that is what they have to do with all leftover food. It hurt my heart to see all of this food just thrown away when it could be used in so many other ways. There are area churches that will come to vacation condos and pick up your leftover food items that can be used in some of their mission programs to feed the hungry and take to halfway houses, safe houses, drug rehab houses, etc. I would think there would be some organization that could use that food. It was heartbreaking to see knowing that there are so many people that would love to have that food. Just so sad.

When will the store in Auburn, AL open?

Need one at the Jersey Shore!!!!

OKLAHOMA! We need Buc Ee’s in Oklahoma! I always stop at one or more Buc Ee’s when traveling through Teas, but we need one in Oklahoma too! Area around Lawton, Oklahoma would be great! I-44

WHEN WILL THE NEW SEVERVILLE STORE OPEN I NEED TO GO TO GATLINBURG FROM NORTHEAST TENNESSEE

One Word Delaware !!!! Delaware!!!

From South to North the State is the crossover from the mid-South to the big Megalopolis.. It attracts a ton on visitors and living here all my life anything Big and New from another area of the Country will kill it!!!! A spot along rt 1 anywhere from Wilmington to the Delaware beaches or anywhere off the 13 miles of I-95 in Delaware would do amazing… Olive Garden, and several other National chains have their #1 sales or at least top 5 locations in DE…. Bring Buck-EE to DE, I promise you won’t be disappointed. Hell I’ll even manage it. God bless America!!’!!!!!

Buc-ees Diesel seems to all be BioDiesel 10%. All of the Mercedes Sprinter diesels I know of require no greater than 5% biodiesel. There are lots of them including mine. Come on Buc-ees, get straight Ultra Low Sulfur 5% or lower diesel!

PLEASE PLEASE consider a BUC-CEES in Hendersonville, NC we would love one or at least consider one near us!

Hi – we visited a Buc-ee’s when traveling back from FL back in Dec 2022 and LOVED it… it was sooo big. Can you think about bringing it to Westchester NY or Fairfield CT??

How can I order online ?y’all had Outdoor Bruner with a small table on the side. It was on sale for $89, I would like to get.

Please please please put one in Michigan

The Bastrop Texas location does have a whole windshield washing station in the corner on the hwy71 side entrance it has awesome squeegees with long handles and super clean water

Every state needs a buckees! Richmond, Virginia and Don’t leave out West By God Virginia. Mountaineer love buckees.

Does Buyers have scooters for the disabled?

Hi, my one and only visit to Buc-ee’s was while visiting family in Texas. Wow.! What an experience. I loved everything about it. I know you recently opened in Florence SC. But do you have plans on coming to Myrtle Beach SC? I live there, and myself and others would love to have one closer to us. Thank you.

did you ever think of putting a Buc-cee’s in the Hershey PA area along I-81 near the exit to Hershey Park & Hollywood casino

Buc-cees is the best We need one here in Minnestoa went to the 2 in Florida. please open one closer to us in MN. The meat was so Fantastic not anything that I have ever had and such a bonus that it was from a gas station and must say the cleanest bathrooms ever.

Making our yearly trip to Texas next week, can’t wait to visit Bucees again … We like to stock up on jerky and have a great lunch after we fuel up. Thanks-You Bucees ! Canada_Jack

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UPDATE: Buc-ee’s in Hillsboro will not open in time for The Great American Eclipse

Hiring process to begin soon.

HILLSBORO, Texas ( KWTX ) - UPDATE: The City of Hillsboro wrote in a Facebook page that “due to supply issues for construction, the Hillsboro Buc-ee’s no longer plans to be open prior to the eclipse on April 8.”

The city said it did not have an update on a new opening date for the new store off I-35.

“The company has faced some supply chain issues, I guess it may be a little carry over from Covid. There’s an electrical part that they need that they can’t get in,” said the City’s Development Director Art Mann.

The city’s economic development director had previously told KWTX Buc-ee’s planned to open its doors on April 1, a week before The Great American Eclipse.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

Texas’ favorite beaver is inching closer to an opening date for his massive new travel stop in Hillsboro.

The “Beaver Beacon,” as the popular highway store chain’s large sign has come to be known, has been installed at the newest location in Central Texas.

“The goal is to be able to open April 1,” said Hillsboro Economic Development Director Art Mann.

“I’ve met with the general manager a couple weeks ago and they’re going to be starting the hiring process the first part of February.”

Buc-ee’s Hillsboro is located at 165 State Highway 77 and is expected to hire 185 full-time and part-time employees. You can apply online on its website , and there is a plan to have an in-person hiring event at the end of February in Waco.

Mann said The Great American Eclipse factored into the decision to open on April 1.

“Because of the Eclipse on April 8, Buccee’s wants to capitalize on the ten of thousands people expected to end up in Hillsboro, Texas to watch the Eclipse,” Mann said.

Buc-ee’s Hillsboro will occupy 74,000 square feet and offer 120 fueling stations, along with favorites, including Texas barbeque, homemade fudge, kolaches, Beaver Nuggets, jerky and fresh pastries.

Founded in Texas in 1982, Buc-ee’s operates 44 stores across Texas and the South.

Copyright 2024 KWTX. All rights reserved.

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Beaver, Utah

I-15 Exit 112 653 W 1400 N Beaver, Utah 84713

6 Diesel Pumps

120 Parking Spaces

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M'chae h. on yelp.

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Of all the Flying J's and Pilot's I've travelled through this one has the NICEST and largest showers/bathrooms. I am super please with every aspect down to cleanliness and even decor. Way to go! I wish all truck stops had nice showers like these!"

Grace H. on Yelp

"This is the perfect place to stop between northern and southern Utah. There are a lot of bathroom stalls and they keep the bathrooms extremely clean. The staff is friendly and the selection of energy drinks is great! There is a little Mexican restaurant inside that has really tasty burritos and quesadillas. There are showers for truckers (or anyone who feels they need to use the service) as well."

Alby P. on Yelp

"This is THE place for tires. Brian the tire shop manager is an excellent guy and has seen it all. Best prices, best service and they have the cure that'll fit your budget and needs. Honest and genuine professional. Located next to the RV diesel pumps. They won't let you down. We love these guys."

John T. on Yelp

"Stopped here going to Moab and on the way back to San Diego a week later.  Very convenient location, just off of hwy 15.  Easy to get into and out of the parking lot.  Yes, we bought the obligatory "I love Beaver" t-shirt and stickers, because it's just funny.  Gas prices were competitive and the staff checks you out quickly to keep the line moving.  Also, large and very clean restrooms.  Thanks for that!

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Buc-ee’s is a Texas-sized stop for Travelers

It is hard to emphasize to out-of-state residents how far Texans can drive and stay in their home state.

While Texans must spend much time driving, making a pit stop is a big part of any long road trip. Buc-ee’s has reimagined the simple convenience store into a Texas-size icon that is a must stop for any long drive.

Texas is beyond a far-flung place. The distance from El Paso to Los Angeles (802 miles) is closer than the distance Beaumont to El Paso (830 miles). Drive from South Padre Island to Dalhart in the panhandle, and you have gone 882 miles. You can pass through seven states from Marshall, Texas to Charlotte, North Carolina in a shorter distance at 880 miles.

The Buc-ee’s beginning

The first Buc-ee’s opened in 1982 in Lake Jackson, south of Houston. Over time, other regular-sized convenience stores were opened primarily in towns near the Houston area. The first travel center opened in the early 2000s. A big milestone was the opening of the “world’s largest convenience store” in 2012 in New Braunfels at 68,000 square feet with 120 gas pumps.

As Buc-ee’s became a favorite in South Texas, it began expanding in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. A travel center in Terrell, east of the DFW area, opened in 2015. A location north of the DFW area on Interstate 35W was opened near the Texas Motor Speedway in 2016, and a location on Interstate 35E opened in Denton in 2018. Other locations also opened since then. As of late 2019, there are about 40 locations throughout Texas. In addition, a travel center opened in Alabama in 2019, and construction is underway for a travel center near Daytona Beach, Florida.

Signature snacks

The first hint about Buc-ee’s is billboards that promote stores miles away with the company mascot, Buc-ee the Beaver, promoting clean restrooms and food items, such as Beaver Nuggets, which are a signature snack made of caramel coated corn pops.

The travel centers feature assortment of food items and beverages from Lone Star heaven.

Dozens of snacks line walls and shelves. It is impossible to list them all. Some of my favorites include the Texas Trail Mix, Chocolate-covered Pecans, Roasted Corn, Expresso Beans and Yogurt-covered Pretzels. Cups with fresh fruit, such as apple slices and pineapple chunks, are also available.

Texas Barbecue

Are you hungry for barbecue? Sandwiches with chopped barbecue or sliced brisket are available at any time along with sausage on a stick. You can also order many types of kolaches in the kitchen area. If you don’t find a pre-packaged item that you like, you can use a kiosk to order food made in the kitchen.

There are multiple fountains with soft drinks, a coffee bar area with multiple flavors and dozens of coolers along the walls with pre-packaged drinks.

If you like beef jerky, you can choose among dozens of flavors. Pre-packaged jerky is displayed on a wall, but you can also order jerky behind the counter.

“Cleanest bathrooms in America”

Clean and spacious bathrooms are an important feature of any Buc-ee’s. The Buc-ee’s location in San Antonio was literally proclaimed with the “cleanest bathrooms in America” in 2012 following a contest by the Cintas Corporation.

About one third of any Buc-ee’s travel center is clothing items, household decorations and other supplies. If you are seeking items with the beaver mascot, you are especially in luck. Some items are sold for a specific store. For example, shoppers can find floating supplies at the New Braunfels store to wade in the Guadalupe River. Those stopping at the Madisonville store on Interstate 45 can find hunting supplies. There are many other examples.

Keep in mind that Buc-ee’s is not a truck stop. Signs at the entrances specifically say that no 18-wheeler trucks are allowed. The dozens of gas pumps are specifically for autos, pickups and recreational vehicles. At some stores, there are more than 100 gas pumps. The gas price is competitively priced with other gas stations in an area. The Denton store features the “world’s longest car wash.” If you purchase a car wash, you can also get 50 cents off per gallon of gas.

Buc-ee’s is worth the stop

If you have never stopped at Buc-ee’s, it is worth the time just to people watch. We live near the Denton location, and it can be fun to watch far-flung travelers stop and stare in the distance. Just keep in mind that people pack into Buc-ee’s during busy travel times. It is easier to check out items at nights and on weekdays, but if you need to stop, have some fun.

Happy traveling! Tell us how much you love Buc-ee’s and post your Buc-ee’s photos in the comments! Here is a link to Buc-ee’s so you can map out your Buc-ee’s stops for your trip. Contact us if you have questions or want to share your favorite travel stop with us!

2 Responses

Very impressive establishment. Recently traveled from El Paso to Texas City and back the 4th and 5th of July. Stopped at Buc-ees four times. The first stop was about 2am on the 4th and the place was relatively quiet, maybe a few dozen customers. Vewry clean and well stocked. And the coffee was good and hot, which is important to an Army Retiree. (nothing gets done without coffee!) My son-in-law had heard about Buc-ees and was blown away by the available food, the huge number of gas pumps and souveniers. And, also an Army Retiree, the coffee. On the return trip to El Paso, we stopped around 9:30 am. Every gas pump was busy and the travel center was packed. You don’t get a crowd like that if your facility and servis is mediocre. Overall, excellent. Only wish there was a Buc-ees close to El Paso. It would be worth a few hours drive just to stop in.

OMG, these places are amazing. There is everything you can imagine. First one I stopped at was Crossville, TN. The food is fantastic, breakfast, lunch, whatever, is always delicious. Bathrooms are very clean, that’s a plus for us. We have been to one in Alabama and Georgia. When we travel we look for Bucees sign. I have tshirts from all the ones we have stopped at, and will continue to do so.

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Meet Me at Buc-ee's: The Best Rest Stop in America

By Priya Krishna

Ask any Texas chef about the one must-stop spot on a road trip, and the response won’t involve an obscure taco stand or a legendary barbecue joint. Most likely, you’ll be pointed to Buc-ee’s, a chain of rest stops sprinkled along Texas highways.

A rest stop may not be the first type of place that comes to mind when thinking of Texas institutions; but in a state known for its robust driving culture and expansive freeways, Buc-ee’s is an icon, having set a new bar for the kind of service and offerings that an off-the-highway joint can provide.

“It’s got everything for everyone,” says Jason Dady , a chef/restaurateur in San Antonio . “If you want coffee creamer, there are 20 different options. If you want cherry sours, there are 15 varieties. There’s so much space. The bathrooms are clean. You’re never waiting in line to check out. You’re never waiting for a gas pump. They have thought of everything.”

Buc-ee’s , which now counts 37 locations in Texas (and growing!), was founded in 1982 by Arch "Beaver" Aplin III and Don Wasek . They saw that most rest stops failed to provide even decent versions of the most basic services, like clean bathrooms (Buc-ee’s was once voted “Best Bathroom in America”) , ample gas pumps, and a friendly staff. “Our goal was to change the experience for the traveling public when they stop, and become the stop of choice.” Aplin, 57, says.

Brisket at a rest stop? Only at Buc-ee's.

One of the cornerstones of Buc-ee’s business—aside from the spotless bathrooms, 120 gas pumps, and mountains of Texas paraphernalia that greet guests upon arrival—is the food. A big part of the Buc-ee’s mission, Aplin says, is to up the caliber for rest stop fare. “Rest stops are the last place you would want to stop to get something nice to eat. You go into survival mode,” he says. “So when you stop at Buc-ee’s and get an amazing chopped beef sandwich or garlic jerky, it’s a surprise that it’s of the highest quality.”

Just the tip of the snack iceberg at Buc-ee's.

And he’s right. Ford Fry , chef of State of Grace in Houston, calls Buc-ee’s “the gold standard for road-trip junk food.”

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The wide range of offerings specifically targeted to Texas tastes is key—smoked and dried meats, outrageously sweet pastries, and Tex-Mex-style fare all figure prominently on the menu. Everyone has something to obsess over, and certain snacks carry a cult-like following. For Fry, it’s the beaver nuggets, a bag of addictive caramel-coated corn snacks; for Kaiser Lashkari , chef of Himalaya Restaurant in Houston, it’s the fudge (it’s handmade on premises in special kettles); for Tony Street , chef of Y.O Ranch Steakhouse in Dallas, it’s the diverse selection of wild game jerky, which he says is as high quality as you’ll find anywhere; for Tim Love , chef/owner of a variety of restaurants throughout Texas, it’s the freshly-sliced brisket breakfast tacos.

Buc-ee's handmade fudge. You better believe it.

Love is quick to point out, though, that the beauty of the food is not necessarily that it’s the best; rather, “there’s a reliability to it,” he says. “You’re not walking out saying, ‘Holy crap I have to go back,’ but you just know it will be better than stopping at 90 percent of the places on the highway.”

Alpin, too, wouldn’t put Buc-ee’s in the restaurant category. “We just try to have really well-respected, loved, high quality food in a rest stop,” he says. “We’re not a restaurant in a typical tradition because it’s a to-go format—we have to put thought into making the food manageable, something that you can eat in your lap while driving.”

For Texas drivers, Buc-ee’s has an almost magnetic pull—even when the tank is full, the multitude of attractions means there’s always a reason to stop in. “Even if I don’t need to stop, I find myself wanting to stop at Buc-ee’s,” says Love. “When a new Buc-ee’s opens, it’s like a new roller-coaster ride. You just want to go in and see it. You don’t want to be left out.”

The Buc-ee's beaver mascot.

On Mondays, when Lashkari has the day off, he and his wife will “always” stop at Buc-ee’s to buy something, whether it’s fudge or a beaver t-shirt (the cute critter is the restaurant’s official mascot). “We make it a point to go,” he says. “Even today, we will be visiting Buc-ee’s. It’s such a good feeling to go into that store.”

Street points to a certain “comfort level” he feels toward the store. “There’s a sign for Buc-ee’s every five miles when you get 100 miles away from one. We get really excited. It makes you want to wait an extra 30 minutes or so to stop [at Buc-ee’s] when you might be inclined to stop earlier.”

Essential Buc-ee's swag.

As Aplin prepares to open Buc-ee’s’ first location outside of Texas (in Louisiana) next year, he recognizes that he’ll have to change a lot about the offerings—the breakfast tacos, Willie Nelson t-shirts, and Texas-shaped waffle irons may need to be swapped out for more Louisiana-friendly fare. He’s most excited about “understanding the local cuisine,” and adapting the snacks accordingly, he says—so here’s to hoping that Buc-ee’s future involves po' boys and gumbo.

But one thing that likely won’t change, even as the store expands to other states, is its intangible Texas charm: the honks you get when you put a Buc-ee’s bumper sticker on your car, the cashier who rushes up to greet you like a long-lost cousin when you walk in, the guy hand slicing the brisket with the dedication of an Austin pitmaster.

After all, Buc-ee’s is special for all the ways in which it fully embodies the Lone Star State culture—insanely big, wildly accommodating, and unabashedly friendly.

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The Thrill of Buc-ee’s, Once a Texas Roadside Oasis, Is Gone

The glorified gas station has lost its luster thanks to over-saturation of the market and the owner’s ties to the state’s worst politicians

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Share All sharing options for: The Thrill of Buc-ee’s, Once a Texas Roadside Oasis, Is Gone

As gas stations go, there are few chains that have managed to capture the attention of travelers — and eaters — like Buc-ee’s. The Texas-born chain is a highway oasis, boasting a slew of clean bathrooms, a dizzying array of snacks and prepared foods, and tons of merch emblazoned with the chipper face of its mascot, a beaver named Bucky.

Founded in 1982, the chain slowly built a local cult following and in 2001, owner Arch “Beaver” Aplin expanded the convenience store into a full-fledged travel center in Luling, Texas. More locations popped up across the state in the following years, and by 2019, the chain expanded outside of the state with a location in Robertsdale, Alabama. Buc-ee’s has continued expanding at an impressive clip since then, opening locations in Georgia, Florida, and soon, Tennessee .

Is it possible, 40 locations later, that we’ve hit peak Buc-ee’s? I think so. I’m a former Buc-ee’s enthusiast , but my last several trips to the store have been much more of an annoyance than a salve on my road-weary bones. As I drove the highways in Texas during the holidays, heading back east to visit family, basically every highway I encountered had its own Buc-ee’s location. Now, you can scarcely drive more than a hundred miles down the state’s major highways without seeing those cheeky billboards emblazoned with slogans like “Stopping the pee dance since 1982” and “My overbite is sexy.”

Back when there were only a few Buc-ee’s locations in Texas, visiting this massive gas station felt like an actual treat. One could easily drop a hundred bucks on different types of gummies, jerky, and fudge. The clean bathrooms were an incredible alternative to the broke-down gas stations and occasional truck stops that dot the landscape along I-35. Now, though, there’s a Buc-ee’s on every single highway that passes through a major city. It’s no longer a concrete oasis appearing like a mirage to parched travelers; it just feels like the magic has dissipated.

But the demand hasn’t. Perhaps this is just my version of snottily enjoying a band before everyone else thought they were cool — now that everyone has realized the wonder of Buc-ee’s, it no longer feels like a secret known only by wanderers of the Texas roadways. When I went to visit family in Louisiana over Christmas, where the nearest Buc-ee’s is a full two hours away, I saw more people wearing Bucky the Beaver T-shirts in one trip to the dollar store than I had in the past year in Texas. Buc-ee’s has become a tourist destination in its own right. First-timers gawk endlessly at the array of Buc-ee’s merch on offer — from bikinis to onesies for both infants and adults to home decor — and that really clogs up the works when you’re just trying to go to the bathroom and grab a snack for the road.

My disenchantment with the chain might also have something to do with the fact that founder Arch Aplin is a financial supporter of some of the state’s most loathsome politicians. He’s given more than a million dollars to Gov. Greg Abbott, who signed the country’s most restrictive abortion ban into law in 2021, and donated to the campaign for Attorney General Ken Paxton , who is currently under indictment for alleged securities fraud . The donations sparked a minor controversy, with some Democrats vowing to boycott the chain, but the boycott never gained much traction.

Still, it’s hard for me to justify putting money in the pockets of a man who’s willing to support politicians that actively spend their days thinking of new ways to marginalize people of color, trans people, women, and disabled people. Every time I’m annoyed by having to wait for a bathroom stall in a crowded Buc-ee’s or they’re out of the chicken salad I like, my irritation is compounded by knowing that I’m going through all this trouble just for some of that money to end up in the hands of people who actively want to harm me.

And while this ethical dilemma is true for so many places of convenience — like In-N-Out , Chick-fil-A , and McDonald’s — it’s much harder to avoid Buc-ee’s when you’ve been on the interstate for six hours and desperately need to pee. The other options (read: normal gas stations) are universally worse, both in terms of cleanliness and food options. I go to Buc-ee’s only as needed now, but its ubiquity makes avoiding the chain harder as each new location opens its doors.

Honestly, I’d still be turning on Buc-ee’s, even if Aplin was a hardcore leftist. As the chain becomes more ubiquitous, its locations have devolved into absolute shitshows. The parking lot is packed, and because the place is so crowded, it’s not uncommon to see drivers cussing each other out over parking spots. Even though the stores are tens of thousands of square feet in most cases, they’re still somehow too small to fit all the people who want to take a selfie with the bronze Bucky out front before grabbing lunch.

The vibe is just anxious, whether that’s because people are just really intense about finding the perfect gummy worms off the massive Wall of Gummies, or simply because they’re crammed together like sardines (sardines that are often mask-less) in the middle of a pandemic . Once a sanctuary for weary travelers, Buc-ee’s has become yet another bump in the road.

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Who Owns Buc-ee's? The Company With the Largest Convenience Store

The Buc-ee’s empire was built by two Texans and is now worth a reported $500 million. Who owns Buc-ee's? Here are the details about the company with the largest convenience store.

Jan. 28 2022, Published 3:15 p.m. ET

Buc-ee’s travel centers are arguably the best places to stop to fuel up and buy road snacks. Arch “Beaver” Aplin III, the co-owner of Buc-ee’s , merged gas stations and convenience stores to provide road travelers with a cleaner and safer place to stop, eat, and fill up their tanks . So, who owns Buc-ee's?

Currently, there are 41 Buc-ee’s locations spread across the U.S., all of which are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. While most Buc-ee’s locations can be found in Texas, the company has brought its one-of-a-kind travel centers to other states like Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. Given the company's success rate, many people want to know what the convenience store chain and its owners are worth in 2022.

The Buc-ee’s empire was built by two Texans and is now worth $500 million.

Although Buc-ee’s is getting a lot of hype and recognition in many cities in 2022, it isn’t a new establishment. Buc-ee’s was founded in 1982 by Arch “Beaver” Aplin III and his business partner Don Wasek. The two Texans opened their first location in Lake Jackson, Tex., and focused on selling “cheap ice” and offering “clean bathrooms.”

Aplin and Wasek decided to expand after doing extremely well with their first location. As the company has grown, the owners have remained committed to providing their customers with a family-friendly environment, not to mention “the cleanest bathrooms in America.” In 2012, Buc-ee’s was awarded the title after Cintas ran a nationwide contest, according to the company’s website.

With more travelers relying on Buc-ee’s as their go-to rest stop when traveling long distances, the company has evolved and is now worth a reported $500 million. Although the figure hasn't been confirmed since the company isn't required to share its financial reports, it did bring in $275 million in 2016, reports Forbes .

Buc-ee’s will continue to expand, although its owner has been criticized for donating to GOP members.

Buc-ee’s has caught the public’s attention and is using this as leverage to expand. The “world’s largest convenience store” will soon be coming to Sevier County, Tenn., with a 74,000-square-foot location. The travel center will sit off Interstate 40 at exit 407 and serve as a pitstop for those heading to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, reports Nashville Eater .

Although Buc-ee’s seems to be prospering, it has hit a few minor bumps after customers learned that its owner, Beaver Aplin, had donated nearly $2 million to Republican PACs (political action committees). Aplin reportedly donated $1,025,000 to Gov. Greg Abbott and more than $490,000 to other Republican PACs.

BOYCOTT BUC-EE'S!!! Arch Aplin III, the owner of Buc-ee’s, has donated more than $1M to Greg Abbott since 2015, and he’s donated to Dan Patrick, and Ken Paxton, too I used to love stopping at Buc-ee's on road trips any where in Texas, but not any more Please share @PurpleRain713 pic.twitter.com/44I6awGo8Y — michelle cochran72 (@milli72) September 7, 2021

What is Arch “Beaver” Aplin III’s net worth?

Arch “Beaver” Aplin III, the co-owner of Buc-ee’s, is presumed to be financially well off given how successful his chain of convenience stores/gas stations has been over the past decades. While his net worth hasn’t been made public, his past political donations alone signal that he likely isn’t struggling.

Currently, Aplin resides in Lake Jackson with his wife Joanie Aplin, and the couple share five children.

Is Buc-ee’s a publicly traded company?

Buc-ee’s isn't publicly traded and doesn’t intend to go public anytime soon. The company announced via its website that “publicly traded companies must constantly focus on the money,” and that can cause a “reduction in standards in exchange for increased profits.”

Buc-ee’s says that it would like to remain a private company so that it “can continue to focus on the customers instead of the bottom line.” In addition to steering away from going public, Buc-ee’s also says that it doesn't offer franchise opportunities at this time.

Although Buc-ee’s owners aren’t looking to sell off shares of their company just yet, they're open to creating new partnerships with vendors. If you have a unique product or service that you think would fit nicely into a Buc-ee’s travel center, you can submit an inquiry about a new partnership directly on the company’s website.

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First Buc-ee's travel center to open in Florence, South Carolina

FLORENCE, South Carolina (KTRK) -- Buc-ee's, home of the world's cleanest bathrooms, freshest food and the friendliest beaver, will break ground on its new travel center in Florence, South Carolina, next week.

The store continues Buc-ee's expansion across the South and joins locations in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. There are currently 38 Buc-ee's stores across Texas, where it was founded.

The location in Florence will offer travelers 120 fueling stations, and thousands of snack, meal and drink options.

Governor Henry McMaster, Arch "Beaver" Aplin, the founder of Buc-ee's, State Senator Hugh Leatherman, and many others plan to attend the ceremony.

"Florence is the perfect place for the first Buc-ee's travel center in South Carolina," Stan Beard of Buc-ee's said in a statement. "A beautiful city that also happens to be located along the East Coast's main interstate, Florence has become a destination itself. We are excited for travelers, visitors and locals alike to be able to depend on Buc-ee's."

The new store is expected to provide 200 permanent full-time jobs.

Buc-ee's first opened in 1982 in Lake Jackson.

SEE RELATED STORY: Texas travel stop treasure plans expansion to North Carolina

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• SOUTH CAROLINA
• FOOD & DRINK
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A trip to the last Blockbuster on Earth

Visiting the bend, ore., store is like stepping back in time.

BEND, Ore. — My family used to go to Blockbuster every Friday. Walking to the store on 19th Street and First Avenue in Manhattan, we’d wander through the aisles of DVDs, negotiating what to rent for our weekly ritual of making pizzas and watching movies, and I’d try to sweet-talk my way into a Nerds Rope or a box of watermelon Sour Patch Kids.

We cycled through countless discs before my parents signed up for Netflix’s DVD service. Our local store closed in 2010 — the year Blockbuster corporate filed for bankruptcy protection — and less than a decade later, almost all of Blockbuster’s 9,000 stores had followed suit.

These days, there’s only one Blockbuster left on Earth . It’s in Bend, Ore., about 820 miles from my home in Los Angeles.

But I’ve traveled farther for stupider reasons.

So I took a trip to Bend with my partner, Reanna (who loves DVDs even more than I do). Our journey there involved an extensive delay that stretched into 13 hours of travel — via cab, bus, plane and rental car — but it all felt worth it when we caught a glimpse of the glowing yellow Blockbuster sign in the distance.

‘A huge movie town’

Most of the tourism in Bend revolves around the city’s outdoor wonders, attracting people who love hiking, skiing, canoeing and exploring the local terrain.

But the city has always been filled with movie lovers, according to Ken Tisher, who owns the Blockbuster on Revere Avenue with his wife, Debbie.

“For those who don’t know, Bend is a huge movie town,” Ken said in the 2020 documentary “ The Last Blockbuster .”

The Tishers opened their first video rental store as Pacific Video in the early 1990s. With business booming, they launched two more locations, but when Blockbuster moved into town they had one option for survival: They made the store on Revere Ave into a Blockbuster franchise in 2000.

As a chain, Blockbuster peaked in 2004, when there were 9,000 locations worldwide. The company has shut down thousands of locations over the years, making the Bend Blockbuster the last Blockbuster in the United States in 2018 (after two stores in Alaska closed), and the only one in the world by April 2019 (after the second-to-last Blockbuster in a suburb of Perth, Australia, shut down).

Sandi Harding, the general manager of the Bend Blockbuster, has been working there since 2004. She watched the franchise’s decline from the front lines, giving countless interviews and figuring out how to keep the store stocked and relevant.

Since there’s no corporate supplier left, Harding buys candy and snacks in bulk from Costco and has figured out how to print and laminate new membership cards. Most of the DVD vendors that they have worked with have closed over the years, and the ones that are still open have minimum orders that are far too big for her store.

“I can’t afford to purchase movies through them, so I’m back to buying 100 percent of everything at Walmart and Target,” Harding told me.

The staff’s DIY efforts pay off: Harding estimates that they still get 500 to 1,000 customers over the course of a weekend.

“It’s all tourism driven now, where before it was all rental driven,” Harding said. “So it’s totally a different experience.”

The last on Earth

We made it to Bend a little before 7:30 p.m., exhausted but relieved that we didn’t miss our chance to indulge in some retro movie magic. It was a sleepy Sunday evening, so the store was nearly empty.

“The winter months used to be our bread and butter, like, that’s when we were the busiest: when people couldn’t go outside or travel,” Harding said. “Now it’s the opposite, the winter is quiet. So this time of year we get lots of projects done. We all take vacations, and we do things, because the summer is when we’re just crazy busy.”

Most of the store is straight out of the early 2000s: The walls are lined with DVDs and VHS tapes to purchase or rent; the location’s original triangular checkout counter has endured the test of time; and the staffers still wear blue and yellow shirts (though they’re not forced to don the retro polos ).

“The ticket tee that we have out there is the T-shirt we’ve always had here at the store for our employees,” Harding said, referring to the ticket stub design on the shirts that her employees wear. “But on the back of it used to say ‘your ticket to the movies,’ and then it went to ‘last one in America,’ and now it’s ‘last one on the planet.’”

The rentals are still reasonably priced: New releases cost $3.99 and older DVDs are just 99 cents. And these days, nobody complains about late fees.

“Now everybody is like, ‘Aw man, we miss it,’ which is always funny,” Harding said. “You’d be surprised how many people insist on paying their late fees now to support the store.”

Unsurprisingly, rentals and late fees aren’t enough to keep the store afloat. Harding estimates that 80 percent of its business comes from selling merchandise, including T-shirts, hoodies, sweatpants, postcards, keychains and popcorn-scented candles.

Most of that merch is made by local artisans, since Harding wants to support her fellow Oregonians.

“We’re proud of the fact that we’re able to source as much as we can here in town,” she said. “If we can’t have them made in Bend, we buy them through another small business.”

“People come in and see [the merch] and then I remember why we’ve got it, because people smell the candle or they see the T-shirt and they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, this so brings me back,’” she added.

A blast from the past

As I browsed the aisles of Blockbuster, it felt like I stepped into a memory. The space was still warm and comforting, the snack and drink options were abundant, and the staff clearly had great taste.

There are a few things in the store that bring visitors back to 2024: Some of Russell Crowe’s costumes — passed along from the closed Anchorage store — sit next to a wall of Blockbuster memorabilia and letters that have been sent to the store. A modest living room occupies one corner, reminiscent of the Airbnb experience the store offered in 2020. The checkout counter also has a guest book, so visitors can sign their names and leave sentimental notes.

“I opened up an account the other day for somebody from Seattle, and she was like, ‘We’re on our way home, but we had to stop and rent a movie. I’m going to mail it back to you.’” — Sandi Harding, general manager of the Bend Blockbuster

“We have almost 30 of those little guest books signed,” Harding said. “I’m actually looking forward to the day when I can sit down and just go through them all.”

The store has welcomed visitors from all six habitable continents, and Harding can rattle off plenty of states and countries that people have traveled from. She tries to be as accommodating as possible for those who are passing through town and want the full rental experience.

“I opened up an account the other day for somebody from Seattle, and she was like, ‘We’re on our way home, but we had to stop and rent a movie. I’m going to mail it back to you,’” Harding said. “Sometimes people just do it and walk around outside and put it back in the drop box, just because they want to have that experience of renting the movie and returning it.”

Reanna and I had one night in Bend at an Airbnb with a DVD player , so we took our time perusing the shelves. Instead of doom scrolling through a streaming app on my TV, or trusting an algorithm to pick something out, I looked at a wall of the staff’s Valentine’s Day picks, feeling a kinship with Santana, who recommended the 2018 remake of “A Star is Born,” and Aidan, whose picks included “Moonlight” and “Knocked Up.”

That sense of connection is really what we’re looking for when we visit an old school video store.

“Video stores and movie theaters have always kind of felt like my church,” Jared Rasic, a local critic, said in “The Last Blockbuster” documentary. “They’ve always felt like the place where I go to feel the most like the calm, normal human being that I’ve always wanted to be.”

Reanna and I eventually settled on renting “Gentlemen Broncos,” a sci-fi comedy directed by the man who made “Napoleon Dynamite,” and “Vanilla Sky,” a thriller starring Tom Cruise. After grabbing some merch, a locally brewed Blockbuster beer and a respectable assortment of candy and microwave popcorn, we were ready to check out.

We also got two membership cards along with our wares; small yellow and blue reminders that sit in our wallets and remind us that we might get the chance to go back one day.

Julia Carmel is a Los Angeles-based writer. You can follow them on X: @julcarm .

A photo caption incorrectly said a visitor was from Cambi, Ore. They are from Canby, Ore. This article has been corrected.

Where to go

Our favorite destinations: These 12 destinations are at the top of our wish list for where to go this year, without crowds. In 2023, we explored an Alaskan bear paradise, Brooklyn’s famous pizzerias and a hidden gem in Italy, among other highlights ..

Travel like a local: Residents share their favorite places in our top city guides: New Orleans , Rome , Tokyo and Mexico City .

National parks: This comprehensive guide has details on all 63 U.S. national parks. For a deep dive into five of the most well-known, you can listen to the Field Trip podcast . Then explore tips from locals for visiting Yosemite , Glacier and Everglades .

Tales from the road: Dolly Parton has opened a new resort at her theme park complex in Tennessee, while “Fixer Upper” stars Chip and Joanna Gaines have a new hotel in Waco . Road-trippers may be just as excited to see the cartoon beaver at Buc-ee’s , and bargain-hunters should consider a stop at the Unclaimed Baggage store in Scottsboro, Ala.

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• Beaver Behavior and Biology

The beaver (Castor Canadensis) is North America’s largest rodent. Adult beavers typically weigh 45 to 60 pounds, but have been known to grow to 100 pounds. Native Americans greatly respected beavers, calling them “Little People”. Beavers and humans are alike in their ability to greatly alter their habitats to suit their own needs.

To obtain food and building materials, beavers are well known for their ability to topple large trees using nothing but their specially adapted incisor teeth and powerful lower jaw muscles. Beaver teeth never stop growing, so they do not become too worn despite years of chewing hardwoods. Their four front teeth (incisors) are self-sharpening due to hard orange enamel on the front of the tooth and a softer dentin on the back. Therefore as beavers chew wood the softer backside of the tooth wears faster, creating a chisel-like cutting surface.

The beaver’s most distinctive feature is their large flat tail, which serves as a rudder when swimming, a prop when sitting or standing upright, and a storehouse of fat for the winter. Beavers will also slap their tail on the surface of the water as a danger warning to other beavers or sometimes in play. They do not use it to carry mud.

Beavers are aquatic mammals with large webbed hind feet ideal for swimming, and hand-like front paws that allow them to manipulate objects with great dexterity. They have excellent senses of hearing and smell, and rely on these senses more than their less developed sense of eyesight. When swimming underwater a protective transparent membrane will cover their eyes, and flaps close to keep water out of their nostrils and ears. In addition, behind their incisors they have inner lips that allow them to carry sticks in their mouths while swimming without getting a mouthful of water.

Beaver fur consists of short fine hairs for warmth and longer hairs for waterproofing. They need to groom their fur daily to keep it waterproof, and frequently groom each other’s fur. They have castor glands on the under side of their abdomen from which they can excrete an oily substance (castor) that they use in the grooming process, and to mark their territory.

A beaver nibbling on a stick…

Beavers are pure vegetarians, subsisting solely on woody and aquatic vegetation. They will eat fresh leaves, twigs, stems, and bark. Beavers will chew on any species of tree, but preferred species include alder, aspen, birch, cottonwood, maple, poplar and willow. Aquatic foodstuffs include cattails, water lilies, sedges and rushes. Cattail and water lily tubers are favorites. Using their nimble front paws, beavers will roll lily pads like cigars to eat them. Beavers do not eat fish or other animals.

In cold climates each Fall beavers will stockpile (cache) sticks underwater because they do not hibernate. They live on these sticks because once their pond freezes they will no longer have access to trees on the land. Beavers remain inside their lodge all winter except when they swim under the ice to their food cache for a stick to nibble on.

A classic conical shaped beaver lodge…

Beavers build and maintain houses called lodges. There are two main types, the conical lodge and the bank lodge. The most recognized type is the conical shaped dwelling surrounded by water. It is made from sticks, mud and rocks. One of the primary reasons beavers build dams is to surround their lodge with water for protection from predators. The second type of lodge is the bank lodge. It is typically excavated into the bank of a large stream, river, or lake where the water is too deep or fast moving to build the classic conical lodge.

Within each lodge beavers will hollow out a chamber where they sleep, eat, groom each other, and the baby kits are born and nursed each spring. Beddings of grasses, reeds and wood chips are changed regularly. In order to breathe fresh air beavers do not apply mud to the peak of the lodge, creating a ventilation shaft. Note: If you have an opportunity to visit a beaver lodge on a very cold winter day, look very closely and you may see the beaver’s breath escaping from this chimney-like peak, or even hear the murmurs of the beaver family inside!

Each lodge contains at least two water-filled tunnels leading from the chamber to the pond so the beavers can enter and exit the lodge underwater without being spotted by predators. The walls of the conical lodge are very strong due to layers of mud and sticks, and are extremely insulated. Even with subzero outside temperatures it will not drop below freezing inside the lodge due to retained body heat from the family of beavers.

Dams and Canals

Built by beavers from sticks and mud…

The dams, canals and lodges beaver builds have gained them the reputation as “Nature’s Engineers”. No other animal with the exception of man so significantly alters it’s habitat to suit it’s own needs and desires. Native Americans revered the beaver and referred to them as “Little People” for this reason.

On land, the beaver’s short legs and wide body made them slow and vulnerable to their enemies. However, unlike most of their historic predators, beavers are excellent swimmers. As a result beavers evolved to have a strong preference to remain in or very close to the safety of the water. The need for safety is the primary reason beavers build dams to create ponds.

Beavers typically start building dams in low lying areas with shallow, moving water. They will utilize natural or manmade objects such as a rock outcropping or a manmade stone wall, a constriction in the streambed, a tree stump, etc. to anchor their dams. So while somewhat predictable, they can select from a wide variety of spots in which to build a dam.

Once a pond is formed beavers do not have to travel far on land to gain access to new trees. The more area their dam floods, the more food they can safely access. Sometimes beavers will even excavate canals over a hundred feet long in order to bring water closer to stands of their favorite trees. This allows them to swim up close to the trees and retreat to the water quickly if they sense danger. In addition, they use the canal to float edible branches back to the pond.

Beavers predictably select sites to build their dams based primarily on topography and food supply. Preferred sites for damming will be in areas where the dam will flood a large flat area and there are plenty of desirable woody plants for food in the vicinity. Streams that are more than two feet deep or have strong currents are not generally dammed. Beavers often situate their dams where there are constrictions in the stream flow (natural or manmade). This is why beavers have a strong propensity to dam culverts. For relatively little work they can create a large dam and pond.

Each beaver colony will usually establish one large pond which where they will build their lodge. In addition to this primary pond other smaller dams up and downstream are usually built to create smaller ponds. These smaller ponds permit safe travel for the beaver as it seeks out new food supplies. The average beaver colony will dam a half-mile length of a small stream.

Reproductive

Beavers are monogamous and mate for life. They do not breed until they are two to three years old. In Massachusetts the female becomes pregnant during the winter and gives birth in May or June..

Beavers have one litter of 1 – 6 kits per year. The availability of food appears to affect the size of the litter. Each established beaver “colony” consists of adult parents, and two years of offspring. Only the adult female breeds. The average number of beavers in an established family is typically six or seven beavers. We have seen as few as one and as many as thirteen.

Once a beaver reaches the age of two they will usually leave the colony to find a mate and establish a colony of their own. This is the most very dangerous time in the life of a beaver. Not only can they be killed by predators or cars, other beavers will attack them if they enter their ponds. As beaver populations expand uninhabited watersheds can be difficult to locate since suitable beaver habitat only comprises 1 – 2% of the landscape. Beavers have been noted to travel ten or more miles searching for a place to live.

Social Behavior

Beavers have a highly organized social structure. Young beaver appear to play and wrestle with their siblings. This helps to develop their motor skills. They will groom each other using their hands and teeth. Young beaver have innate abilities to build dams and lodges, but improve these skills watching their parents or older siblings.

Beavers are typically social and peaceful animals, with a strong family structure. However, to protect their limited food supply, a beaver will not allow unrelated beavers to inhabit its pond. To mark their territories they surround their ponds with scent mounds. Scent mounds are piles of mud with the adult’s castor oil mixed in. They act as warnings to any beaver that may be passing through the area. Adult beavers will defend their territory by attacking any beaver outside its family who enters it. However, other than territorial disputes or self-defense, they appear to have a strong inhibition towards biting and are not known to attack humans unless provoked.

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Love’s Travel Stops Gets Go-Ahead from Beaver Township

NORTH LIMA, Ohio – A proposed multimillion-dollar travel plaza along the east side of state Route 7 was given the green light Thursday from members of the Beaver Township zoning board.

However, some issues remain before Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores could begin work on a 15-acre site at the Route 7 and Ohio Turnpike interchange, company representatives say.

“We still have some hurdles to go through,” Chad Bruner, real estate project manager for Love’s, told the board. The most important issue is obtaining approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over wetland mediation, he noted.

Once that matter is resolved, Bruner says work on the project could begin. “We’re working through that now,” he says. He anticipates the new travel stop could open sometime in 2023.

The typical investment for these projects is between $12 million and $15 million, Bruner says.  The Love’s development would include a Hardee’s restaurant and drive-thru, a dog park, a tire replacement and repair center and fueling operation.

All of the tire and light maintenance services are conducted in an enclosed area, so no materials would be visible outside.

The company requested a conditional use permit for the tire shop and drive-thru, some landscape variances, and variances related to fencing and signage.

Bruner said the project has also been subjected to a traffic study and its ingress and egress points have been approved by the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Just one item – a proposal for a 104-foot high-rise sign that is visible from the turnpike — drew concerns from the board.

Board member David Dickey said that such signage could present an eyesore to new residential developments slated for nearby Sharrott Road.

“That’s a tough one,” he said.

“It just breaks our heart to see big poles again,” noted board member Robert Christian, after other high elevation poles had previously been removed.

Bruner said that a high-rise sign is vital to the development since there are no billboards or blue placards on the turnpike near the North Lima exit that would advertise Love’s.

“The only way you know we’re here is the high rise,” Bruner said. He says that the plazas experience on average a 25% decrease in diesel fuel sales when power is knocked out and the signs are unlit.  “It’s critical for us to have a high-rise sign.”

Initially, the development had proposed a 130-foot sign, but the Federal Aviation Administration limited the height to 104 feet, Bruner said. 

Chief zoning Inspector Rick Martin added that in 2020, Love’s hoisted a trial balloon at 150 feet to determine sign visibility.  After driving the Sharrott Road area and other roads, Martin said that he couldn’t see the balloon.

Moreover, the sign would be situated at a lower elevation than existing light poles at the interchange, Bruner said. 

Ultimately, the board was convinced that the Love’s project presented a unique situation, and did not set a precedent for similar structures in the future.

“I’m comfortable telling someone else at a future time that this was unique and its not going to happen again,” Christian said. “It’s a wonderful economic use of the property.”

Love’s, based in Oklahoma City, operates more than 560 locations across the country in 41 states and employs more than 33,000 people, according to the company’s website. 

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.

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Eagles Landing Travel Plazas

With you for the long haul.

We started over 30 years ago in a little town called Beaver Utah. Now, we have locations in 5 states for a total of 10 beautiful stores to take care of all your needs and wants as you travel across Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Texas and Iowa

Our Locations

I-15 Exit 122 653 W. 1400 N. Beaver, Utah 84713

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I-15 Exit 9 4031 Fleet Street Littlefield, Arizona 86432

Mesquite, NV

I-15 Exit 118 1057 S. Lower Flat Top Drive Mesquite, Nevada 89027

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See what people are saying....

Eric DeHaven

Scipio, UT Location

It's actually an Eagles Landing. Always clean always friendly staff. They have some neat things in the store. They also have a tire shop and charging station for electric cars.

Renee Carter

Beaver, UT Location

It was a great place to do our 34 hour reset. They have a taco place inside along with a Wendy’s and a Denny’s right near there so we had plenty of choices for food as well as a nice hot shower!

Jerry Eastman

Friendly people inside. Possibly Most scenic truck stop in the world. Clean Hot showers. Easy in and out with a fair amount of parking.

Star Knight

Mesquite, NV Location

Excellent place to stop if you need a break from travelling. Parking area is very large to accommodate semis, travel buses and everything in between. Plenty of parking for all. Many areas to eat outside. Has everything a traveler could want (gas, food, parking, etc) and then some. Includes a Wendy's restaurant. Great place to pick up some decent souvenirs, too. Nice area just off I-15 in Mesquite, NV. Easy access on and off freeway.

Lisha Hamilton

Desert Springs, AZ Location

Everytime I come through ... I ALWAYS stop here! There staff are ALWAYS so awesome and helpful. At times where it's been packed full and so busy the staff all still did there job quickly and still made sure to be welcoming, reassuring, patient and efficient. I give this spot a huge thumbs up!!!! Oh and pretty good lotto too!!!

Toni Sanchez

Greenhaven, AZ Location

Great place to gas up, shop and eat . The place is beautiful , near Lake Powell , clean bathrooms , and nice people .

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What time the 2024 solar eclipse started, reached peak totality and ended

By Sarah Maddox

Updated on: April 9, 2024 / 5:04 AM EDT / CBS News

The 2024 solar eclipse will be visible across North America today. As the moon's position between the Earth and sun casts a shadow on North America, that shadow, or umbra, will travel along the surface from west to east at more than 1,500 miles per hour along the path of totality . 

That means the eclipse will start, peak and end at different times — as will the moments of total darkness along the path of totality — and the best time to view the eclipse depends on where you are located. Some places along the path will have more totality time than others.

In Texas, the south-central region had clouds in the forecast , but it was better to the northeast, according to the National Weather Service. The best eclipse viewing weather was expected in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine, as well as in Canada's New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

What time does the 2024 total solar eclipse start?

The total solar eclipse will emerge over the South Pacific Ocean before the shadow falls across North America, beginning in parts of Mexico. The path of totality , where onlookers can witness the moon fully blocking the sun (through eclipse viewing glasses for safety ), is expected to first make landfall near the city of Mazatlán around 9:51 a.m. MT. 

The total solar eclipse will cross over the U.S.-Mexico border into Texas, where it will emerge over Eagle Pass at 12:10 p.m. CT and then peak at about 1:27 p.m. CT.

In Dallas, NASA data shows the partial eclipse will first become visible at 12:23 p.m. CT and peak at 1:40 p.m. CT. The next states in the path of totality are Oklahoma and Arkansas, where the eclipse begins in Little Rock at 12:33 p.m. CT. 

Cleveland will see the beginning of the eclipse at 1:59 p.m. ET. Darkness will start spreading over the sky in Buffalo, New York, at 2:04 p.m. ET. Then, the eclipse will reach northwestern Vermont, including Burlington, at 2:14 p.m. ET. Parts of New Hampshire and Maine will also follow in the path of totality before the eclipse first reaches the Canadian mainland  at 3:13 p.m. ET.

Although the experience won't be exactly the same, viewers in all the contiguous U.S. states outside the path of totality will still be able to see a partial eclipse. Some places will see most of the sun blocked by the moon, including Washington, D.C., where the partial eclipse will start at 2:04 p.m. ET and peak at about 3:20 p.m. ET.

In Chicago, viewers can start viewing the partial eclipse at 12:51 p.m. CT, with the peak arriving at 2:07 p.m. CT.  In Detroit, viewers will be able to enjoy a near-total eclipse beginning at 1:58 p.m. ET and peaking at 3:14 p.m. ET.

New York City will also see a substantial partial eclipse, beginning at 2:10 p.m. ET and peaking around 3:25 p.m. ET.

In Boston it will begin at 2:16 p.m. ET and peak at about 3:29 p.m. ET.

The below table by NASA shows when the eclipse will start, peak and end in 13 cities along the eclipse's path.

What time will the solar eclipse reach peak totality?

Millions more people will have the chance to witness the total solar eclipse this year than during the last total solar eclipse , which was visible from the U.S. in 2017. 

The eclipse's peak will mean something different for cities within the path of totality and for those outside. Within the path of totality, darkness will fall for a few minutes. The longest will last more than 4 minutes, but most places will see between 3.5 and 4 minutes of totality. In cities experiencing a partial eclipse, a percentage of the sun will be obscured for more than two hours.

Mazatlán is set to experience totality at 11:07 am PT. Dallas will be able to see the moon fully cover the sun at 1:40 p.m. CT. Little Rock will start to see the full eclipse at 1:51 p.m. CT, Cleveland at 3:13 p.m. ET and Buffalo at 3:18 p.m. ET. Totality will reach Burlington at 3:26 p.m. ET before moving into the remaining states and reaching Canada around 4:25 p.m.

Outside the path of totality, 87.4% of the sun will be eclipsed in Washington, D.C. at 3:20 p.m. ET, and Chicago will have maximum coverage of 93.9% at 2:07 p.m. CT. New York City is much closer to the path of totality this year than it was in 2017; it will see 89.6% coverage at 3:25 p.m. EDT. 

Detroit is another city that will encounter a near-total eclipse, with 99.2% maximum coverage at 3:14 p.m. ET. Boston will see 92.4% coverage at 3:29 p.m. ET.

What time will the solar eclipse end?

The eclipse will leave continental North America from Newfoundland, Canada, at 5:16 p.m. NT, according to NASA.

At the beginning of the path of totality in Mazatlán, the eclipse will be over by 12:32 p.m. PT, and it will leave Dallas at 3:02 p.m. CT. The eclipse will end in Little Rock at 3:11 p.m. CT, Cleveland at 4:29 p.m. CDT and Buffalo at 4:32 p.m. ET. Burlington won't be far behind, with the eclipse concluding at 4:37 p.m. ET.

Meanwhile, the viewing will end in Chicago at 3:21 p.m. CT, Washington, D.C. at 4:32 p.m. ET, and New York City at 4:36 p.m. ET. 

In Detroit, the partial eclipse will disappear at 4:27 p.m. ET, and in Boston, it will be over at 4:39 p.m. ET.

How long will the eclipse last in total?

The total solar eclipse will begin in Mexico at 11:07 a.m. PT and leave continental North America at 5:16 p.m. NT. From the time the partial eclipse first appears on Earth to its final glimpses before disappearing thousands of miles away, the celestial show will dazzle viewers for about 5 hours, according to timeanddate.com . 

The length of the total solar eclipse at points along the path depends on the viewing location. The longest will be 4 minutes and 28 seconds, northwest of Torreón, Mexico. Near the center of the path, totality takes place for the longest periods of time, according to NASA.

Spectators will observe totality for much longer today than during the 2017 eclipse , when the longest stretch of totality was 2 minutes and 32 seconds.

The moon's shadow seen on Earth today, called the umbra, travels at more than 1,500 miles per hour, according to NASA. It would move even more quickly if the Earth rotated in the opposite direction.

What is the longest a solar eclipse has ever lasted?

The longest known totality was 7 minutes and 28 seconds in 743 B.C. However, NASA says this record will be broken in 2186 with a 7 minute, 29 second total solar eclipse. The next total solar eclipse visible from parts of the U.S. won't happen until Aug. 23, 2044.

Sarah Maddox has been with CBS News since 2019. She works as an associate producer for CBS News Live.

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Yoto Mini Speaker For Kids Recalled Due To Fire Risk

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A popular bluetooth speaker for toddlers and young children was recalled today, April 11, due its potential to overheat and possibly catch on fire. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and brand issued the recall of the Yoto Mini , saying that the lithium-ion battery “can overheat and catch fire, posing burn and fire hazards to consumers.”

More than 250,000 of the Yoto Mini devices were sold in the U.S., and another nearly 19,000 in Canada.

The Yoto Mini speaker for kids was recalled due to the potential that it could overheat and catch on ... [+] fire.

The Yoto Mini recalled units were sold nationwide from November 2021 through April 2024 at major retailers, such as Amazon , Maisonette and Target .

The Yoto Mini is the smaller version of the Yoto series of kiddie speakers, all of which are lightweight and portable. This one is particularly light, making it easy to carry in the palm of a child’s hand. The speakers use Yoto Card inserts to play children’s stories, podcasts, nursery rhymes and more—and they can also operate via a parental app.

Yoto players are designed to be used by children ages 3 and up, or caregivers can operate the device to play stories and sounds for younger children. The ability to play white noise and other soothing features, such as bedtime stories, means the device is positioned as useful at nighttime in a child’s room when adult caregivers may not be present.

CPSC advised consumers to “immediately stop using the recalled speakers,” and to “take them away from children.” Consumers should contact Yoto to receive a free replacement smart charging cable that is designed to charge the battery in a safer manner and prevent overcharging and thus overheating. The brand said in a statement that it is no longer working with the previous Yoto Mini battery supplier.

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While no injuries were reported to the CPSC, the Yoto Mini recall advisory said that Yoto received seven consumer reports of the speaker overheating or melting.

The brand said that no other Yoto products were impacted.

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The 10 travel mistakes you’ll never stop making

D oing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results… is it the classic definition of insanity, or is it just what we always seem to do when we travel? Here are some of my worst failings mixed in with others I know only too well. 

1. Getting to the airport too early…

Guilty. It’s a big weakness of mine. I instinctively calculate the worst-case scenario for a delayed journey to the airport and add that to a two hour check-in. The result? I’m nearly always through security two and a half hours before take-off. Add in an inevitable departure delay… you can do the maths. 

The cure: I wish I knew.

2. …or too late

Now this really is a sign of insanity. But we all know those eternal (and deeply foolhardy) optimists who calculate the fastest possible journey time to the airport and assume arrival an hour before take-off. The result? Perpetual stress and the occasional missed flight .

The cure: It’s obvious isn’t it? Leave home an hour earlier than your instinct tells you.

3. Flying early-morning…

It’s so tempting. That 7am departure with EasyJet is not only £30 cheaper, it gets you there mid-morning so you enjoy an extra half a day in your destination. The reality is you will have to get up at 3.30am. You will probably barely sleep. Your first evening on holiday will be a write-off. And you have children? What on earth were you thinking?

The cure: Work out when you will have to get out of bed before you book the flight.

4. …or late evening

It’s so tempting. That 9.30pm return with Ryanair is not only £30 cheaper, it means you can carry on sightseeing or lying on the beach until 6pm on your last day. The reality is that you will get back to Stansted at 23.45 (if it’s on time that is), and won’t be home until 2am – even later if you miss the last Stansted Express. 

The cure: Just be happy to make the most of your last morning, and always fly home mid-afternoon.

5. Riding the red-eye

Two things are guaranteed if you fly overnight: you will barely sleep, groggily hating every moment of it. And you will be exhausted either when you arrive on holiday, or when you return home.

The cure: Sometimes airline schedules make it unavoidable, but there is often a workaround. Coming back from New York? Most flights are overnight, but United has a 9.30am departure which gets into Heathrow at 9.40pm. On other long-haul routes, a well-thought-out stopover is often a way around the problem.

6. Impulse buying in Duty Free

You have an hour to spend at Manchester Airport. You spot a bottle of Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut Champagne at £32.89 (current price) in the duty-free shop. It must be a bargain, it’s duty-free. You snap it up, lug it about in your hand baggage. And then you pop into Sainsbury’s when you get home and find it is on offer for £29 (current price). Even if it had been a few pounds cheaper at the airport, is the saving really worth the effort?

The cure: Google before you buy. Better still, just don’t buy. 

7. Packing too much 

Too many clothes, too many books, too much paraphernalia. The instinct to cater for every contingency means you struggle to get the suitcase zip done up.

The cure: Lay everything out on the bed. Then put 10 things back in the drawer. And take a tiny sachet of detergent; you can always wash things out and dry them on the hotel towel rail.

8. Packing in too much

Cultural overload kills the joy of discovery. There is a limit to how much we can take in on one visit, but somehow the fear of missing out overrides it. 

The cure: Remember, less really is more.

9. Assigning the wrong roles 

Map-reading. Bargaining. Resolving conflicts or complaints. Usually in any couple (or group), one individual is better suited to the role than the other(s). But somehow that person often ends up sidelined.

The cure: Take a long hard look at yourself and either step back, or step up.

10. Taking your laptop on holiday

What are you doing? Are you insane? 

The cure: See a psychologist. 

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Harris to give prediction of ‘what a second Trump term looks like’ during Arizona campaign stop

The biden campaign is ramping up attacks on former president trump, blaming him for abortion bans after roe v. wade was overturned.

Trump says Arizona abortion ruling goes too far

Fox News correspondent Mark Meredith reports on former President Trump’s stance on abortion on ‘Special Report.’

Vice President Kamala Harris will tell a dark story about what a possible second Trump term would look like when she visits Arizona on Friday afternoon.

Harris will hold a campaign event in Tuscon days after the state Supreme Court upheld an 1864 law that criminalizes abortions with no exceptions for rape or incest. In prepared remarks, Harris blames former President Trump for making that decision possible with his appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court, which overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, ending federal protections for abortion.

"Here in Arizona, they have turned the clock back more than a century on women’s rights and freedoms. The overturning of Roe was a seismic event. And this ban in Arizona is one of the biggest aftershocks yet," Harris will say, according to excerpts released by the Biden campaign.  

She will call Trump "the architect of this health care crisis" and make the case that a second Trump term would mean "more bans, more suffering, less freedom." 

ARIZONA GOVERNOR RIPS GOP HYPOCRISY AFTER STATE SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS ABORTION BAN

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally, Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, in Orangeburg, S.C. Harris will campaign in Arizona on Friday and declare former President Trump responsible for laws that ban abortion.  (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)

"And as much harm as he has already caused, a second Trump term would be even worse. If Donald Trump gets the chance, he will sign a national abortion ban. How do we know? Look at his record. Congress tried to pass a national abortion ban before, in 2017, and then-President Trump endorsed it."

The Arizona Supreme Court delivered a 4-2 ruling Tuesday that said the 1864 law — passed when Arizona was a territory and codified in 1913 when it became a state — is "now enforceable" after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. 

ARIZONA SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS NEAR-TOTAL ABORTION BAN

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs gives a brief speech prior to President Joe Biden's remarks at the Tempe Center for the Arts on September 28, 2023, in Tempe, Arizona. Hobbs has called on state lawmakers to overturn an 1864 law, now enforceable after Roe v. Wade was overturned, which banned nearly all abortions.  (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

The state court rejected arguments that a 15-week abortion ban passed in 2022 should be enforced instead, finding that the more recent law "does not create a right to, or otherwise provide independent statutory authority for, an abortion that repeals or restricts" the 1913 law.

The Civil War-era law makes it a felony for anyone who "provides, supplies or administers to a pregnant woman, or procures such woman to take any medicine, drugs or substance, or uses or employs any instrument or other means whatever, with intent thereby to procure the miscarriage of such woman, unless it is necessary to save her life," potentially carrying a prison sentence between 2 and 5 years.

TRUMP SAYS ARIZONA PRO-LIFE LAW WENT ‘TOO FAR’ AS BIDEN CAMP CLAIMS POLICY U-TURN

Protesters march around the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix after the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Friday, June 24, 2022.  (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) has urged state lawmakers to swiftly repeal the law and the state's Democratic attorney general has said she will not enforce any abortion bans. 

Harris' prepared remarks reflect the Democratic Party's 2024 strategy of going all-out on abortion following the end of Roe. 

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The Biden campaign this week announced a seven-figure ad purchase targeting Arizona voters with a focus on abortion rights. A new ad, called "Power Back," will air on TV stations in Arizona and call Trump responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade and allowing abortion bans like Arizona's to move forward.

Fox News Digital's Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Chris Pandolfo is a writer for Fox News Digital. Send tips to [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @ChrisCPandolfo.

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Planning to Combine Business and Leisure Travel? You’re Not Alone.

As employees increasingly add leisure time to their business trips, companies are trying to figure out where their duty of care obligations begin and end.

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By Amy Zipkin

• April 7, 2024

On a Sunday in late January, Melinda Buchmann, who lives in Florida and supervises client relations for RevShoppe, a 30-person remote company advising organizations on sales techniques and strategies, arrived in Banff, Alberta, to help set up a four-day company meeting.

The last day of the event, her husband, Josh, a director of strategic partnerships for the delivery company DoorDash , who also works remotely, joined her. They spent two leisurely days hiking in Banff National Park and visiting Lake Louise.

“I take advantage, because I don’t know when I’m going to return,” Ms. Buchmann said of the decision to combine downtime with a business trip.

As postpandemic work life has changed, and arrangements now include full-time office attendance as well as hybrid and remote work, so, too, has business travel. The phenomenon known as bleisure, or blended business and leisure travel, was initially embraced largely by digital nomads . But such combined travel is now also popular with people outside that group . Allied Market Research, a subsidiary of Allied Analytics, based in Portland, Ore., estimated that the bleisure travel market was $315.3 billion in 2022 and would reach $731.4 billion by 2032.

As employees increasingly add leisure time to their business trips, companies are struggling to determine where their legal obligation to protect employees from harm — their so-called duty of care — begins and ends. And workers may think that because their trip started with business, they will get all the help they need if something goes wrong on the leisure end. Instead, they should generally consider the leisure part of a trip as a regular vacation where they cover all expenses and contingencies.

Companies are responsible for knowing where their employees are during a business trip, covering expenses if an accident or emergency occurs, securing new lodging if a hotel is damaged, even swapping out a broken down rental car. Still, it’s not entirely clear if that coverage ends completely after the conference or the last client meeting.

Companies recognize that threats are increasing, said Robert Cole, senior research analyst focusing on lodging and leisure travel at Phocuswright, a market research company. They are trying to figure out how to take care of a valuable company resource, the employee, without leaving themselves open to financial risk or potential litigation.

“Crafting a comprehensive policy that balances business objectives, employee well-being and legal considerations can be challenging,” Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos, head of tourism at ICF, a consulting and technology services company in Reston, Va., wrote in an email.

Employees may be on their own without realizing it and may be surprised by out-of-pocket expenses if they require hospital care abroad or evacuation, said Suzanne Morrow, chief executive of InsureMyTrip , an online insurance travel comparison site in Warwick, R.I.

Ms. Morrow said medical coverage provided by a company “is generally only for the dates of the actual business trip abroad.” If travelers are extending the trip for personal travel, she added, “they would want to secure emergency medical coverage for that additional time abroad.”

Employers and employees are left to figure out when the business portion of the trip ends and the leisure segment begins, a significant detail if an employee has a medical emergency. “Where does the corporation liability end?” said Kathy Bedell, senior vice president at BCD Travel, a travel management company.

Companies have varying policies to deal with the new travel amalgam. The chief executive of RevShoppe, Patricia McLaren, based in Austin, Texas, said the company provided flexible travel options and allowed employees to work anywhere they choose.

Even so, there are constraints. The company requires all employees, including executives, to sign liability and insurance waivers when they are on a voluntary company-sponsored trip, such as an off-site meeting. Such waivers typically place responsibility on employees for their own well-being. And if they bring someone, they are responsible for that person’s expenses.

Employees are responsible for requesting the paid time off and notifying their managers of their whereabouts, although that part is not a requirement. Managers have to ensure adequate staffing, Ms. McLaren said.

Elsewhere, employees may not bother to mention the leisure portion of their trip. Eliot Lees, a vice president and managing director at ICF, said he had been on trips as a child with his parents when they combined business and leisure. His parents were academics, who would piggyback vacations onto conferences.

Now he does the same. “I don’t think I ever asked for approval,” he said. (ICF has no formal business-leisure travel policy. It’s allowed as part of personal time off.) After a conference in the Netherlands last year, he spent four days hiking in the northern part of the country.

“I go anywhere, and take more risks than I should,” he said. He said he didn’t carry personal travel or accident insurance.

Any nonchalance may quickly evaporate if a threat emerges. Security experts say even low-risk locations can become high-risk for a few days or weeks of the year.

“Companies are concerned about losing visibility into a traveler’s whereabouts if they booked flights and hotels outside their corporate travel management company,” Benjamin Thorne, senior intelligence manager in London for Crisis24, a subsidiary of GardaWorld, wrote in an email. “The company may think the traveler is in one city when, in reality, they could have booked a holiday package to another nearby city. This lack of visibility by the company makes it difficult to support travelers when a disaster occurs.”

He also raised the possibility that “a traveler with bleisure travel reservations and expectations may find their work trip canceled due to changes in the risk environment or company policy, disrupting their leisure plans.”

Will a company step in off hours if there’s a problem? “That depends on how you are booked,” Mr. Cole, the senior research analyst at Phocuswright, said. A rule of thumb is the further you get from corporate control, the greater the gray area gets.

Half of GoldSpring Consulting’s clients take the responsibility for the entire trip, said Will Tate, a partner at the consultancy based in Cross Roads, Texas, and a certified public accountant. They don’t want the reputational risk. The other half say: “The business trip ended Friday. That’s when we end our duty of care.”

Some companies are trying to define and narrow the gray area. “If you are clearly on personal time, there is no legal requirement for your employer to provide for you,” said Nicole Page, a lawyer whose practice includes employment law at Reavis Page Jump in New York.

Uber provides employees with advisories before a trip, travel assessments, safety tips while traveling and emergency travel assistance, including medical aid, airport travel support, urgent and emergency assistance, and lost or stolen personal property insurance whether they are on business or pleasure travel or a combination.

And at DoorDash, Chris Cherry, head of global safety and security, wrote in an email that “while personal travel is not something we track, we have received requests to extend our travel support capabilities to personal travel.” Mr. Cherry said in those cases, the company has manually added employee leisure itineraries to its travel risk management system and “provided the same level of overwatch that we do for regular business travel.”

The Buchmanns plan to travel this month to Barcelona, Spain, for the McDonald’s Worldwide Convention. DoorDash will have a booth, and Mr. Buchmann will work on the exhibit floor and also entertain clients.

Ms. Buchmann will accompany him. She plans to go sightseeing in the morning, and work in the afternoons and evenings Barcelona time. She will also take three days of paid time off and has shared her plans with Ms. McLaren, the RevShoppe chief executive.

They will stay a day after the conference and plan to visit the Dalí Theater and Museum in Figueres. “I’m sure there will be no shortage of tapas and window shopping along way,” Mr. Buchmann said. He expects to be back at work the next Monday.

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Arizona Supreme Court rules a near-total abortion ban from 1864 is enforceable

PHOENIX — The Arizona Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a 160-year-old near-total abortion ban still on the books in the state is enforceable, a bombshell decision that adds the state to the growing lists of places where abortion care is effectively banned.

The ruling allows an 1864 law in Arizona to stand that made abortion a felony punishable by two to five years in prison for anyone who performs one or helps a woman obtain one. 

The law — which was codified in 1901, and again in 1913 — outlaws abortion from the moment of conception but includes an exception to save the woman’s life.

That Civil War-era law — enacted a half-century before Arizona even gained statehood — was never repealed and an appellate court ruled last year that it could remain on the books as long as it was “harmonized” with a 2022 law, leading to substantial confusion in Arizona regarding exactly when during a pregnancy abortion was outlawed.

The decision — which could shutter abortion clinics in the state — effectively undoes a lower court’s ruling that stated that a more recent 15-week ban from March 2022 superseded the 1864 law.

The Arizona Supreme Court said it would put its decision on hold for 14 days, writing that it would send the case back to a lower court so that court could consider “additional constitutional challenges” that haven’t yet been cleared up.

Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, said moments after the ruling that she would not enforce the law.

“Let me be completely clear, as long as I am Attorney General, no woman or doctor will be prosecuted under this draconian law in this state,” Mayes said in a statement, adding that the decision was “unconscionable” and “an affront to freedom.”

Democrats all the way up to President Joe Biden also blasted the ruling.

“Millions of Arizonans will soon live under an even more extreme and dangerous abortion ban, which fails to protect women even when their health is at risk or in tragic cases of rape or incest,” Biden said in a statement. He called the ban “cruel” and “a result of the extreme agenda of Republican elected officials who are committed to ripping away women’s freedom” and vowed to “continue to fight to protect reproductive rights.”

Vice President Kamala Harris announced shortly after the ruling that she would travel to Arizona on Friday “to continue her leadership in the fight for reproductive freedoms."

Responding to questions from NBC News about the Arizona ruling, a spokesperson for Donald Trump's campaign referred only to the former president's comments on Monday that abortion restrictions should be left to states.

“President Trump could not have been more clear. These are decisions for people of each state to make," Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs called for the GOP-controlled Legislature, which is currently in session, to repeal the 1864 ban, though there was no immediate indication that Republican lawmakers in either chamber would take up such an effort.

"We are 14 days away from this extreme ban coming back to life," Hobbs, a Democrat, said at a press conference. "It must be repealed immediately."

While Hobbs said she was "sure" reproductive rights advocates would appeal the ruling in the 14-day window they were given, she also suggested that the best avenue to counter the ruling would be for voters to support abortion rights on the November ballot. A separate, ongoing suit would allow for abortion providers to continue providing services through the 15th week of pregnancy for another 45 days.

"It is more urgent than ever that Arizonans have the opportunity to vote to enshrine the right to abortion in our constitution this November. I’m confident that Arizonans will support this ballot measure, and I’m going to continue doing everything in my power to make sure it is successful," Hobbs said.

In a 4-2 ruling, the court’s majority concluded that the 15-week ban “does not create a right to, or otherwise provide independent statutory authority for, an abortion that repeals or restricts” the Civil War-era ban “but rather is predicated entirely on the existence of a federal constitutional right to an abortion since disclaimed” by the 2022 Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.

“Absent the federal constitutional abortion right, and because” the 2022 law "does not independently authorize abortion, there is no provision in federal or state law prohibiting” the 1864 ban.

They added that the ban “is now enforceable.”

Tuesday’s ruling is the latest chapter in a decadeslong saga of litigation in the battleground state over abortion rights. 

Reproductive rights groups had sued to overturn the 19th century law in 1971. But when the Roe decision came down in 1973, a lower state court ruled against those groups and placed an injunction on the 1864 ban that remained in effect until the Dobbs decision.

In March 2022, Republican lawmakers in the state enacted the 15-week trigger ban, which, months later — after the Dobbs decision — snapped into effect. The law makes exceptions for medical emergencies but not for rape or incest. 

Litigation resumed after that decision as lawmakers on both sides of the issue sought clarity on whether to enforce the 1864 near-total ban or the 2022 15-week ban.

A state appellate court initially ruled that both the 1864 and 2022 laws could eventually be “harmonized,” but also said that the 15-week ban superseded the near-total abortion ban and put on hold large parts of the older law.

The decision also sent shockwaves through the reproductive rights community in Arizona and nationally.

Angela Florez, the president of Planned Parenthood Arizona, one of the state's remaining abortion care providers, said her group would now only be able to provide abortion care through the 15th week of pregnancy — and only "for a very short period of time."

The issue, however, could soon be in the hands of voters.

Abortion rights groups in the state are likely to succeed in their goal of putting a proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would create a “fundamental right” to receive abortion care up until fetal viability, or about the 24th week of pregnancy.

If voters approved the ballot measure, it would effectively undo the 1864 ban that now remains law in the state. It would bar the state from restricting abortion care in situations where the health or life of the pregnant person is at risk after the point of viability, according to the treating health care professional.

That ballot effort is one of at least 11 across the country that seek to put the issue directly in the hands of voters — a move that has the potential to significantly boost turnout for Democratic candidates emphasizing the issue. 

In 2024, that could factor heavily into the outcome of both the presidential and U.S. Senate races in Arizona. Biden, whose campaign is leaning heavily into reproductive rights, won the state by just over 10,000 votes four years ago. And the Senate race features a tough battle to fill the seat held by the retiring independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, most likely between Democrat Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake. 

During her unsuccessful 2022 run for governor in Arizona, Lake said she supported the 1864 law, calling it “ a great law that’s already on the books .” But Lake now says she opposes the 1864 law , as well as a federal abortion ban, while also acknowledging that her own views regarding state policy conflict with some voters’ preferences.

In a statement following the decision, Lake said she opposed the ruling, adding that "it is abundantly clear that the pre-statehood law is out of step with Arizonans." She called on state lawmakers to "come up with an immediate common sense solution that Arizonans can support."

"Ultimately, Arizona voters will make the decision on the ballot come November," she added. 

Gallego, who is backed by several reproductive rights groups, has said he supports the ballot measure. As a member of the U.S. House, he is among the co-sponsors of the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would create federal abortion protections.

In a video posted to X after the ruling, Gallego said he would, with reproductive rights supporters, "fight all the way to November so we can get abortion rights back for women in Arizona."

Other Republicans in the state who’d previously expressed robust support for Roe being overturned joined Lake in condemning the ruling. Reps. Juan Ciscomani and David Schweikert , who both face tough re-elections this fall, both called on state lawmakers to address the issue “immediately.”

The ruling Tuesday — the second in a swing state on the issue in as many weeks — further highlights the already prominent role abortion rights will play in Arizona and across the country.

Last week, the Florida Supreme Court upheld a 15-week ban on abortion in the state, which effectively meant that a six-week abortion ban, with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the woman, that Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law last year will take effect. The state's high court also allowed a proposed amendment that would enshrine abortion protections in the state constitution to appear on the November ballot.

Tuesday's decision, while jarring to reproductive rights groups, wasn’t entirely unexpected. All seven justices on the Arizona Supreme Court were appointed by Republican governors, and during opening arguments in December, they aggressively, but civilly, quizzed attorneys on both sides about the fact that the 15-week ban enacted last year did not feature any language making clear whether it was designed to repeal or replace the 1864 ban.

Only six justices participated in Tuesday’s decision, however, after Justice Bill Montgomery — who previously accused Planned Parenthood of practicing “generational genocide” — recused himself. (The court’s chief justice did not appoint another judge to take the spot, which is an option under Arizona law.)

The abortion landscape in Arizona has been uniquely confusing since Roe v. Wade was overturned. 

While the 1864 law had been on hold after the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe decision, then-Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, successfully sued in 2022 to have that injunction lifted following the overturning of Roe, putting the ban back into effect — though a higher court put that ruling on hold. 

But after Mayes succeeded Brnovich as attorney general, she announced that she would not enforce the 1864 ban.

That led to suits from anti-abortion groups seeking enforcement of the ban, which ultimately led to the case making its way up to the state Supreme Court.

Adam Edelman is a political reporter for NBC News.

Alex Tabet is a 2024 NBC News campaign embed.