Suburbs

The reaction was swift. The news spread quickly. This was big, big I’m telling you. Breaking news, some would consider.

Mayor Paul Young’s property tax increase for Memphis folks?

Nope.

Laird Veatch leaving the U of M for Mizzou?

Apparently not near as big of a deal.

The Lake District getting another opportunity at financing?

Well, that is in the same geographic area, but nowhere near the interest generated by the other news on Wednesday.

Buc-ee’s is set to come to West Tennessee!!!

Not far from the Shelby-Fayette county line. On Interstate 40 at Exit 32 in Gallaway. Between Shelby County and the under-construction BlueOval City, Ford’s EV battery plant.

Strike up the band. Grab the balloons. Set off the fireworks. Get out the oversized scissors to snip the ribbon under the watchful eye of an oversized buck-toothed beaver.

Not to violate any internal statistics and secrets, but thousands of subscribers clicked into our site to read the story. And some of us just shook our heads in amazement.

The reaction in the newsroom was similar. People started dreamily talking about Buc-ee’s onesies, hoodies, candies and jerkies. Brisket, turkey and sausage sandwiches. Spotless restrooms (a real challenge in the men’s version) and banks of gas pumps.

My son-in-law had pictures of my grandson gazing at the fudge display and an extended portrait of the jerky counter.

My colleague Tim Buckley was so excited he just about wrote his entire column on the arrival before I could even post the initial story.

I do wonder if Buc-ee’s might be like other notable absences around here. Places like Whataburger of today and Coors of the yesteryear where it’s a big deal because you can’t readily reach one in the Memphis area. I will say that while people didn’t seem to yearn for Buc-ee’s like Publix, once the potential for the mega-gas station and convenience store coming to West Tennessee became public, the anticipation began.

This was all foreign to me. I have never set foot in a Buc-ee’s. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ve never driven by one to even fall to the temptation.

Best I can tell, there are none in close proximity to my normal summer route to St. Pete Beach.

Of course, that doesn’t stop some people who travel miles off their path to go over to Buc-ee’s. I’ve heard tales of families detouring 30 or maybe 50 miles out of their way for a visit.

And while that sounds a bit overstepping the popularity, I did come to the realization that if I drive from my house to Exit 28 of Interstate 40 in Fayette County, it would be about 30 miles for me to reach the future Buc-ee’s.

Which seems like a long way to go for brisket, fudge and Beaver Nuggets. - Suburbs editor Clay Bailey

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