Buc-ee’s isn’t open in North Carolina yet, but it’s already considering a second store in the state.
The chain of popular travel centers — known for selling beaver-branded snacks and boasting rows of gas pumps — has a store under construction in Alamance County. And now, it could open another location in Eastern North Carolina.
An unnamed city of Rocky Mount spokesperson told The News & Observer via email that “Buc-ee’s is pursuing a proposed development of approximately 34 acres near the Interstate 95 and Halifax Road interchange and has requested rezoning of the property as part of that effort.”
Here’s what we know about the proposal as well as the Buc-ee’s location that has broken ground in North Carolina.
Another Buc-ee’s could come to NC
The Rocky Mount spokesperson said the “proposed development remains subject to the city’s established review and approval process.” The city in its Monday, Oct. 19 email didn’t reveal a timeline for the rezoning plans or a potential opening date.
Rocky Mount — a roughly 55-mile drive northeast from downtown Raleigh — sits at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 64 and I-95, a major East Coast thoroughfare. Mayor Sandy Roberson told the Rocky Mount Telegram the city has been “working with Buc-ee’s off and on for about five years,” and that persistence could be paying off.
“We’re headed down that road,” Roberson told the newspaper. “And I’ve got to tell you: I’ve been hearing over and over and over for years what we need is a Buc-ee’s. So, I’m proud to say that we’ve got a Buc-ee’s on the way.”
The N&O has requested additional information from the city and is awaiting a response. When asked via email about the Rocky Mount proposal and the Alamance County construction, a Buc-ee’s spokesperson wrote: “no comment at this time.”
Buc-ee’s under construction in NC
The proposed store could join another Buc-ee’s that’s already being built off I-85/40 in Alamance County. The 74,000-square-foot store will feature more than 100 gas pumps and 650 parking spots, The N&O and CharlotteFive previously reported.
Though a Buc-ee’s spokesperson previously said the store would open in late 2027, the travel center on its website lists a 2028 launch.
The Mebane city council approved a plan for the site two years ago. The store previously withdrew an attempt to open in neighboring Orange County after some community members raised environmental concerns.
For now, the closest Buc-ee’s for many in North Carolina is off I-95 in Florence, South Carolina. The spot features a barbecue station and restrooms that are “closer to a Roman bathhouse than a roadside rest stop,” The N&O previously reported.
The Texas-based chain on its website lists dozens of locations, including many in Southern states.
This story was originally published October 19, 2026 at 2:14 PM.
The News & Observer
Simone Jasper is a service journalism reporter at The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Source: www.newsobserver.com
