A Buc-ee’s has popped up in West Texas, but you will not find a sea of gas pumps, beaver nuggets, or immaculate bathrooms. This Buc-ee’s is an art installment.
Located 25 miles east of Marathon, Texas, the mini Buc-ee’s resembles the long-standing Prada store 25 miles northwest of Marfa and the mini Target that came before it. While the Prada store is a destination on any traveler’s bucket list, the mini Target store installation was short-lived, mysteriously surfacing in 2016 before it was gone as curiously as it came in 2020.
Texas Rep. Brooks Landgraf from Odessa posted pictures of the mini Buc-ee’s to his Facebook page with the caption, “West Texas has its first Buc-ee’s, sort of.” Landgraf described the Buc-ee’s to his constituents as “an old phone-line service shack” on Sanderson Highway.
Landgraf said although the Permian Basin would be happy to see a Buc-ee’s set up shop, it’s not time for residents of the region to ready their tastebuds for the brisket sandwiches just yet.
“I spoke with ‘Beaver’ Aplin, the co-founder of Buc-ee’s, a few weeks ago and let him know that West Texans would welcome his stores with open arms. As the company continues to grow, I expect we’ll see Buc-ee’s along I-20 in the Permian Basin someday in the future, but they’ll have to fill in the gap first,” Landgraf wrote on his Facebook page.
San Antonio artist Matt Tumlinson took to his Instagram to share the news of the mini Buc-ee’s. Tumlinson told Culture Map that he thinks the Buc-ee’s is “a lighthearted jab at Prada Marfa and influencer culture. It might also be a commentary on brand loyalty and consumerism.”
No matter the reason for a mini Buc-ee’s in the middle of West Texas, one thing is for sure: no matter how far you have traveled or how far you have to go, you have to stop at Buc-ee’s.
