As I traveled to every Buc-ee’s in Texas, I began to notice a pattern. Despite my staid thinking of Buc-ee’s as strictly a travel stop, a place to fill up the car and relieve the bladder and grab some snacks on the way to somewhere better, my reporting at a few larger locations had me second guessing myself.Why were teens chatting at the beaver statues and then retreating to separate cars? Why did I find nearby college students meeting for dinner and a perusal of the new Halloween T-shirts, on display already in August? Why was everyone gushing over the brisket when barbecue joints abound across Texas?
My hypothesis, after speaking with folks, particularly youngsters, was that the larger Buc-ee’s stores — New Braunfels, Melissa, Katy, and more — were utilized less as travel stops on the way in or out of town and more like malls. It's like the ’90s again, but instead of chopping it up outside the Hot Topic, teens are gathering at the jerky bar.
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