The largest Buc-ee’s branch in the USA has now opened in Luling, Texas, bringing the chain full circle.

The doors of the new Buc-ee’s, “home to the world’s cleanest bathrooms, freshest food and friendliest beaver,” were scheduled to open at 6 a.m. local time on Monday, according to an announcement from the company last month, followed by a grand opening at noon CST. Members of the local government are expected to attend the grand opening and celebrate the occasion.

At 75,000 square feet, the new Buc-ee’s in Luling is “the largest Buc-ee’s location in the country and brings the largest Buc-ee’s back to where the legend began,” the company said in a news release in May. The new store has replaced the city’s current Buc-ee’s store, which was the brand’s first family travel center in 2003.

“We are thrilled to open the doors to the world’s largest Buc-ee’s travel center here in the great state of Texas,” said Stan Beard, Buc-ee’s director of real estate and development, in a statement. “This is especially exciting considering this is the Buc-ee’s that started it all, so we’re really looking forward to celebrating with the incredible people of Luling.”

The new Buc-ee’s location is located off I-10 in Luling, about two hours west of Houston. The company says it will have 120 gas stations, as well as “thousands of snack, food and beverage options for travelers on the go.”

According to Buc-ee’s, the new store will also feature customer favorites such as Texas barbecue, homemade fudge, kolaches, beaver nuggets, jerky and fresh pastries.

Answers to your Buc-ee’s questions: Where is the biggest store? How many new stores are opening?

The new store in Luling has dethroned the Buc-ee’s store in Sevierville, Tennessee, as the largest Buc-ee’s store ever. The Tennessee store, which opened last June, is approximately 74,707 square feet, just a few hundred square feet smaller than the one in Luling, according to Knox News, part of the USA TODAY Network.

While it was previously reported that a new 7,400-square-foot store in Ocala, Florida, will overtake the one in Luling as the largest Buc-ee’s, Beard said in a statement to the Daytona Beach News-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, that the Marion County store will be 7,000 square feet. The new store is currently in the design and permitting phases, with construction scheduled to begin later this year or in early 2025.

The 7,400-square-foot figure was based on Marion County planning documents from 2023, which said the Ocala location, which is set to open at a new Interstate 75 interchange just outside Ocala city limits, would be larger.

In May, USA TODAY’s 10Best named Buc-ee’s the 10th best gas station in both the Best Gas Station Brand and Best Gas Station for Grocery categories.

Where will Buc-ee’s open more new locations?

Although Buc-ee’s was founded in Texas in 1982, it was not until 2019 that a multi-state expansion plan was initiated.

Since then, the company has opened travel centers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri and Colorado. With the opening of the Luling store, Buc-ee’s will have 50 locations in nine states, according to the company.

According to the press release, Buc-ee’s also began construction on its first locations in Virginia and Mississippi earlier this year.

Locations currently under construction include:

• Smith’s Grove, Kentucky: 2024.

• Amarillo, Texas: 2025.

• Brunswick, Georgia: 2025.

• Rockingham County, Virginia: 2026.

• Boerne, Texas: 2026.

In addition, there were announcements from local authorities regarding the opening of shops.

Contributors: CA Bridges, The Daytona Beach News-Journal

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Buc-ee’s opens new 7,000-square-foot store in Luling, Texas