Jarell Carr

Construction on the new Buc-ee’s Travel Center on the south side of Yarrington Road and I-35 began Oct. 1.

According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), the project is estimated to cost $47 million and will span 74,707 square feet. San Marcos’ store will be 886 square feet away from surpassing the Buc-ee’s in Luling, which holds the record as the largest convenience store in the world, and will be only 14 miles away from the nearby Buc-ee’s in New Braunfels.

San Marcos City Council gave initial approval for the project in February, with final approval in March. Christian Smith, the city’s economic and business development manager, said Buc-ee’s will create 175 full-time jobs with an average annual wage of $43,855.

“Throughout the process, the Buc-ee’s team has shown they share the city of San Marcos’ values and commitment to sustainability,” Richard Reynosa, San Marcos assistant director of engineering said.

Reynosa also said Buc-ee’s will install its first-ever rainwater harvesting system at the new location, along with stormwater runoff systems and exterior lighting that will be mounted as low as possible, potentially minimizing light pollution.

The University Star spoke to students, residents and local businesses about their opinion on the incoming Buc-ee’s Travel Center.

Some students like Lillian Montalvo, freshman theater education major, are excited about the addition of the new Buc-ee’s. Montalvo said the competition could be good for the community.

“I think [Buc-ee’s] is something really cool that’s part of the Texas culture,” Montalvo said. “I think it would bring a lot of job opportunities… they have a higher pay rate as well.”

According to Indeed, the average hourly salary for a cashier job at Buc-ee’s is around $18 compared to $12 at other gas stations like 7-Eleven.

Manager of Cafe on the Square Esther Henk said the new store could help retain Texas State graduates in the area through job availability, meaning more business for the local spots too.

“I think it’s great to have more opportunity for employment in the area, so that way we’ll keep people graduating more local instead of them moving to Houston or Dallas,” Henk said.

Executive Director of the Price Center Clay DeStefano sees the new Buc-ee’s, along with Texas State’s record enrollment of 40,678 students, as a sign the city is focused on development over community engagement.

“This kind of development, it’s bound to happen and it’s okay, but where it happens and how it happens matters as much as it happening,” DeStefano said. “Regrettably, students are not citizens of this community – they’re part-time residents.”

Grins, a restaurant established in San Marcos in 1975, has struggled to recover after the pandemic. Grins’ owner Paul Sutphen said they plan to “fight like hell” to stay connected to the community as larger chains come in.

Locals have also complained about the increased commercialization in San Marcos’ historic areas through housing projects, including the approval of the McLain Project.

“I don’t think much of the future of this place,” Andrew Shinn, a San Marcos local, wrote in a written interview with The Star. “Like many others, I’ll likely leave soon or be pushed out by subsidized housing and move to a city where the residents are prioritized and the leadership of the city isn’t looking to make a quick buck in my expense.”

Shinn, who lives on Yarrington Road, grew up in San Marcos, went to school in San Marcos and has worked exclusively in the Kyle/San Marcos area.

Yarrington Road, the future site of Buc-ee’s, is also part of the Proposition A road bond on the November General Election ballot. If approved, this bond will fund construction and maintenance for multiple roads in the area, also potentially bringing more construction work to Yarrington Road.

“Buc-ee’s is part of a larger mixed-use area that is installing infrastructure for all the future uses in the area between Yarrington and the Blanco River, Post Road and I-35,” Smith said.

According to TDLR, the Buc-ee’s estimated completion date is Dec. 15, 2025.