Early Monday morning, cascades of cars will approach a jumbo-sized roadside stop that residents along the Gulf Coast have awaited for years.
The Texas-based convenience chain Buc-ee's is debuting its first Mississippi storefront in Harrison County, a move that extends the corporation's presence along the Gulf Coast. Located at the Menge Avenue exit off Interstate 10 in Pass Christian, the 74,000-square-foot store — filled with 126 gas pumps, 24 EV charging stations and 165 toilets — will be one of the largest in the nation.
Buc-ee's will not only attract locals, but travelers from nearby states like Louisiana and Alabama, especially those who live in New Orleans, considering the city is just over an hour away from the store.
Here's everything you should know before making the drive from New Orleans to Buc-ee's.
How to get to Buc-ee's
The distance between downtown New Orleans and Buc-ee's is approximately 60 miles, or about a 75-minute drive, depending on traffic. The fastest route involves taking I-10 through city neighborhoods and Slidell.
Once crossing the Mississippi state border, I-10 will bring you through Diamondhead before reaching the Menge Avenue exit, where Buc-ee's is located on the left at 8245 Firetown Road.
The travel center is expected to cause traffic snarls, though a two-lane bridge that was expanded to five lanes should help ease congestion at the exit.
What time it opens
Buc-ee's will be open to the public at 6 a.m., followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony by local leaders at 10 a.m., according to the company. Like all of its chain megastores across the United States, it will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
How long did it take to build?
After opening its first out-of-state location in Robertsdale, Alabama, Buc-ee's corporate office contacted Bill Lavers, the executive director of Harrison County Development Commission, about opening a store in Mississippi.
Before building the travel center, contracters expanded the bridge at the exit with the help of $15 million in funds from Harrison County.
By August 2023, the site for Buc-ee's was mulched in preparation for the start of construction in September. Precast concrete walls of the store started being placed within a year. In October 2024, all of the walls were up, along with large beams to support the fueling stations, while large parking lanes were being paved.
The Buc-ee’s in Harrison County is beginning to look like one of the iconic travel centers.
How much did Buc-ee's cost?
Buc-ee's was an $80 million investment, Lavers said in an interview in February, and millions in funds were spent of fixing the roads in time for its opening.
The convenience store is expected to boost the local economy, attract foot traffic to other nearby businesses and provide job opportunities.
Buc-ee's will bring over 200 jobs to the area, according to the corporate office, with starting pay above minimum wage, full benefits, a 6% matching 401K and three weeks of vacation for employees.