Buc-ee’s, the Texas road-stop phenomenon famous for spotless restrooms and aisles of road-trip fuel in snack form, has finally started on-site work for its first West Tennessee store just off Interstate 40 in Gallaway. The company now lists May 2027 as the opening date, a later target that is stirring fresh talk about public incentives even as locals eye the promise of new jobs and a fresh tourism magnet east of Memphis.
As reported by What Now, crews have begun clearing the parcel at 22860 TN-196, roughly a 40-minute drive from downtown Memphis, with early site preparation now underway. What Now notes that Gallaway was originally pegged for a 2026 debut, but updated timelines now point to a May 2027 opening.
What the Store Will Include
In a company release, Buc-ee’s outlined plans for the Gallaway travel center as a roughly 74,000 square foot building with about 120 fueling positions and more than 200 full-time jobs. Those details appear in a press release via Newswire, which also highlights the chain’s hot food lineup and employee benefits.
The project marked its official start with a November 13, 2024 groundbreaking. At that event, co-owner Arch “Beaver” Aplin told local media the build would take roughly 16 to 18 months, an estimate that has since been adjusted as the schedule evolved according to local reporting, leading to the current May 2027 projection.
Local Payoff and Public Money
Local officials signed on to help grease the skids for construction. County records and local reporting show Fayette County approved about a 15 million dollar loan aimed at site and road work tied directly to the development. RoadTripBeaver and contemporaneous local coverage estimate the store could add roughly 12 million dollars a year to the county economy while creating hundreds of jobs…