They Say Everything's Bigger In This State With The World's Largest Convenience Store

When you think of Texas, you might imagine big and bold. That's why a mega-sized Texas store, which opened in 2024, is so fitting. However, though it's a new building, it's not altogether a new place. In fact, it's very likely you've heard the name of this convenience store before. The biggest one, located in Texas, is part of the Buc-ee's chain. There was another Buc-ee's just next door previously, but it was much smaller and couldn't accommodate the traffic coming into the area. 

The Buc-ee's in Luling, Texas, is the largest in the chain and also the largest convenience store in the entire world. It measures an insane 75,593 square feet, or 1.7 acres, and has about 120 staff during the day to keep all operations running smoothly. Though this is an impressive size, it's actually not that much bigger than some of the other Buc-ee's in the country. A location in Sevierville, Tennessee, was bumped from first to second place with its 74,000 square-foot store, and before that, the 66,000 square-foot Buc-ee's in New Braunfels was in first place.

At the time of opening, this massive Buc-ee's had 96 fuel pumps. However, after the outdated and far-too-small old building is destroyed, there will be at least 24 more pumps opening. This store is located just outside of central Luling off of I-10, across the road from a Love's Travel Stop. It is about an hour northeast of San Antonio, the iconic city with the highest amount of free things to do in America.

Besides its new and improved size fit for Texas, where everything is better when it's bigger, this location runs much the same as other Buc-ee's. It's a popular destination convenience store that started in the state, about 55 miles south of Houston in Lake Jackson, before expanding to several other states. 

Unlike many large gas stops, Buc-ee's caters to people enjoying road trips and traveling in cars rather than semi-truck drivers. If you're exploring some of the most stunning and storied routes for a U.S. road trip and you come across a Buc-ee's, it's worth a stop. It offers clean gas pumps, plentiful bathrooms, and plenty of trinkets for purchase. It also has clothes and snacks, like its famous Beaver Nuggets and delicious barbecue. The chain is perhaps best known for its beef jerky bar, offering plenty of flavors to keep your taste buds on their toes. While shopping in a Buc-ee's isn't quite like visiting a famous shopping street or the world's oldest department store, it's definitely an experience all its own.

It's no surprise that Buc-ee's created the largest convenience store in the world, and it's not the first time the store has broken records. Buc-ee's is also in charge of the world's longest car wash, coming in at 255 feet. However, that's not at the Luling location. Instead, it's in a different Texas city, on the outskirts of Houston in Katy. These two stores are a little over an hour and a half from each other, so you could realistically visit both locations during your road trip.