Buc-ee’s has spent the past several years growing beyond Texas through large highway travel centers tied to major interstate traffic. In Florida, that strategy is becoming clearer, with 2 stores open now and 4 more locations in some stage of planning.
Florida’s Buc-ee’s pipeline is getting larger
Buc-ee’s official location list shows 2 current Florida stores, in Daytona Beach and St. Augustine, according to the company’s public store listings. Those sites both sit along Interstate 95, giving the chain an established presence on one of the East Coast’s busiest travel corridors.
Reference reporting from The Coconut Mama Staff says 4 more Florida locations are now in planning or development talks: St. Lucie, Ocala, Port Charlotte, and Tallahassee. If all 4 move ahead, Florida would reach 6 Buc-ee’s locations, a number that would make it one of the company’s larger states outside Texas.
Two of those future sites have tentative timelines attached. Buc-ee’s estimated opening list shows St. Lucie targeted for 2027 and Ocala for 2028, though the company has said projected dates can change as approvals and construction move forward.
What is confirmed in Florida, and what is still unresolved
The most detailed Florida proposal is in St. Lucie County, where plans call for a 73,000-square-foot store at the southeast corner of I-95 and Indrio Road. Reporting cited by The Coconut Mama says the project includes 120 fuel pumps, 20 EV chargers, 11 bus bays, and more than 720 parking spaces on about 33 to 35 acres.
That project has also drawn local resistance. The St. Lucie County Commission voted 4-1 in 2025 to approve a variance for a 100-foot-tall sign, even though local ordinances generally cap signs at 10 feet without special approval, according to the same reporting.
In Tallahassee, Buc-ee’s purchased more than 30 acres near Capital Circle Northwest and Interstate 10 in November 2024 and submitted plans for a 75,000-square-foot store with 120 gas pumps and 24 EV charging stations. No opening date has been announced for Tallahassee, and the company has not released a full statewide buildout schedule for all 4 proposed Florida sites.
Why Florida matters in Buc-ee’s expansion
Florida fits Buc-ee’s highway model because it combines heavy interstate traffic, year-round tourism, and fast-growing regional corridors. The existing Daytona Beach and St. Augustine stores serve I-95 drivers, while Ocala and Port Charlotte would extend the chain deeper along I-75, connecting central and southwest Florida travel routes.
The same scale that makes Buc-ee’s attractive to travelers also creates friction in local reviews. In St. Lucie County, residents and conservation groups raised concerns about traffic, wildlife, migratory birds, and sea turtle hatchlings, according to The Coconut Mama’s summary of local debate.
For Florida drivers, the practical takeaway is simple: 2 Buc-ee’s locations are open today, and 4 more are being pursued, but not all have firm opening dates. Based on the projects now on the map, Florida is positioned to become a much bigger part of the chain’s expansion, even as local approvals continue site by site.
