Roofing Contractor in Hardeeville, SC

A new Buc-ee's is on the way and is headed for Hardeeville, South Carolina, as the popular Texas-based travel destination that functions as a gas station, convenience store and gift shop is discussing plans for a 46-acre lot known as "Hardee Station."

On Nov. 7, Hardeeville City Council preliminarily approved the development near U.S. 278 and I-95 as the officials in Jasper County will finalize the agreement on Nov. 21 in a proposed master plan that calls for 25 acres of space, EV charging stations, a bicycle plaza and several ponds.

This news accompanies an announcement that a new Buc-ee's is being built in Brunswick, Georgia, about an hour drive from Hardeeville, that is set to open in June 2025. Once finished, it will be the largest in Georgia at 74,000-square-feet. Other Buc-ee's locations are in Fort Valley, Georgia, along I-75 just south of Warner Robins and in Adairsville along I-75 in northwest Georgia. They are both 20,000 square feet smaller than the Brunswick location.

As the continuing news of Buc-ee's travels closer to the Upstate area, here are the latest updates on when the beaver costumed filling station franchise might be headed to Anderson:

What's the status of Buc-ee's to come to the Upstate?

The Southern gas hub, Buc-ee's, opened its first location in South Carolina, as Florence opened a store in May of 2022, with 120 fueling stations with Texas-style food options and the famed Beaver mascot.

At the time, the new Florence fueling center put an expected arrival of an Anderson location on the clock, as the initial timeline for a second of two planned Buc-ee's in South Carolina had been projected for a 2025 opening. The Anderson location has always been dependent on intersection improvements at I-85's exit 21, where Buc-ee's owns more than 30 acres for a store.

The Texas-based chain has been interested in an Anderson County location for more than two years, it was one of two South Carolina locations planned. The potential Anderson convenience store would follow a similar pattern to other Buc-ee's, including featuring local artwork and Clemson memorabilia along with the franchise staples such as beaver nuggets and gator jerky, a Buc-ee's spokesman told the Independent Mail in 2020.

"There is an estimated $40 million price tag needed for the bridge portion at Liberty Highway," Rusty Burns said, Anderson County spokesperson in 2022. "We are actively seeking that from any source known to mankind."

Currently, there have been no updates on the status of a Buc-ee's coming to Anderson, however, the South Carolina Department of Transportation engineers were last studying the traffic upgrades needed to deliver the Texas-based bever brand to Anderson.

More:Buc-ee's lawsuit: Man says he tripped on rope supporting inflatable beaver in Florence

What is Buc-ee's?

Buc-ee's is a chain of gas stations/convenience stores based out of Texas that hosts a ton of branded merchandise depicting their beaver mascot.

They are also a popular spot for good food, with some of the favorites being the "Beaver Nuggets," 20 jerky variations, and the "Texas Roundup" sections offering brisket, pulled pork, sausages, turkey and roasted cinnamon nuts. Buc-ee's also prides themselves for having "the cleanest restrooms in America."

Buc-ee's locations are currently found in Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Colorado, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

For more info, visit buc-ees.com.

– A.J. Jackson covers the food & dining scene, along with arts, entertainment and downtown culture for The Greenville News. Contact him by email at ajackson@gannett.com, and follow him on X (formally Twitter) @ajhappened. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers.Sign up today for a digital subscription.

HARDEEVILLE, S.C. —

Leaders of Hardeeville and Jasper County held a groundbreaking with dozens of audience members Thursday morning for a new economic development facility. The 6 million square foot site will house warehouses and industrial space.

"The theme of today is potential finally being realized," said Sen. Tom Davis, of South Carolina's 46th district.

SALT, or South Atlantic Logistic Terminal, is a $200 million, 880-acre warehousing site with hopes it will stimulate economic development in Jasper County. The new site is just south of the intersection of Highway 17 and I-95 in Hardeeville.

"That proximity to I-95, proximity to the CSX railroad, proximity to the port of Savannah, proximity to the Savannah airport. I mean, it's (Jasper County) had thousands of acres of land," Davis said. "I mean, all the fundamentals for economic development have been in place for years, but nothing's happened. That's changed."

"All of these things are bringing not just jobs, but better-paying jobs that ever existed in this part of South Carolina before," said Hardeeville Mayor Harry Williams. "That will raise the quality of life for the people getting these jobs."

According to Williams, SALT will sit in a "Corridor of Opportunity" off the new Exit 3 to be built on I-95 in Hardeeville. However, just three miles up the road, a new traveling center with a Buc-ee's is set to be built by 2028.

"What you’ve already seen down the street, you know, you got a Buc-ee’s, you know, you have an industrial complex here, and there’s a residential community being built across the street," said Mark Hall, principal of Northpoint, the lead developer on SALT.

"With the arrival of exciting things, there’s a lot of different jobs and just think, in a couple of years, the workers coming here will be able to support the workers of Buc-ee’s because they’ll be stopping in for a breakfast sandwich before they go to work," Williams said.

Hall told WJCL 22 News that water and sewer construction will begin immediately after the groundbreaking on Thursday and estimates it will take 10-12 months to complete. After that, then construction on the more than a dozen warehouses will begin.

Follow along with WJCL 22 as updates are released on SALT and Buc-ee's.