Buc-ee's makes $11.5M land buy in Port Charlotte

A national travel center chain known for its abundance of fuel pumps and clean bathrooms — and cult fan following — has purchased land for $11.5 million in Port Charlotte. Buc-ee’s Port Charlotte LLC closed on the property at 25999 Harborview Road on June 25, according to Charlotte County property records.

The buyer’s intended use for the 28.03-acre Port Charlotte property is a “Buc-ee’s family travel center, including fueling stations and retail store” that is “similar or greater in size” compared with other Buc-ee’s family travel centers in Florida, according to the deed filed in Charlotte County.

Texas-headquartered Buc-ee’s has two stores in Florida — one in Daytona Beach and one in St. Augustine. The Buc-ee’s in Daytona Beach spans more than 50,000 square feet with 104 gas pumps. Buc-ee’s in St. Augustine is 55,000 square feet with 104 gas pumps as well. A Buc-ee’s in Ocala was announced in 2023.

Typically, Buc-ee’s locations feature a large number of fuel pumps as well as electric vehicle charging stations. The company touts clean restrooms and a variety of merchandise as attractions; the travel plazas sell food like “beaver nuggets,” barbecue sandwiches, jerky and homemade fudge.

Buc-ee's Port Charlotte LLC purchased the Harborview Road property from Peace River Associates LLC of University Park, according to the deed. The address for Buc-ee’s Port Charlotte LLC corresponds to the national headquarters for Buc-ee’s in Lake Jackson, Texas, a city outside Houston where the brand's first convenience store opened in 1982. Among the officers of Buc-ee’s Port Charlotte LLC is the founder and CEO of Buc-ee’s, Arch “Beaver” Aplin III, whose nickname inspired the company’s beaver mascot.

The Buc-ee’s Port Charlotte land buy came about a month after Charlotte County commissioners approved a May 27 resolution allowing Benderson Development to proceed with its mixed-use project called Harborview, which would include a proposed Buc-ee’s.

Harborview will span 653 acres, with more than 225 acres set aside for open space and preservation, near Interstate 75 between Harborview Road and the Peace River. The mixed-use development will contain 655,000 square feet of commercial space and nearly 4,000 residential units as well as 350 hotel rooms and 50,000 square feet of office/medical space, according to documents submitted to Charlotte County.

Buc-ee’s would be in the commercial West Village district, west of I-75 and south of Harborview Road, according to planning documents; that is where the recent land purchase occurred. Each Buc-ee’s fuel pump would generate about 10 trips an hour during peak afternoon hours, planning documents say, noting "the trip generation rate for Buc-ee's was based upon data collection from six surrogate sites of similar size and land uses.” Improvements will be made to the I-75 interchange as well as to Harborview Road as part of the development project.

A representative for Buc-ee’s did not immediately respond to questions from the Business Observer, including when Buc-ee’s may open in Port Charlotte.

Nationwide, Buc-ee’s has 54 stores, 30 of which are in Texas. in addition to Florida and Texas, the chain also has locations in Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. In the last year, the brand also broke ground on stores in Arkansas, Arizona and Ohio. All of its locations are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.