For the love of convenience stores
By Charles P. Eberson
Senior Moments
I consider my wife and I fairly well traveled. We’ve been to Europe as well as visiting most of the states in the U.S. numerous times. We have often been surprised by events on the road as well as learning a few lessons, i.e. don’t pass up a clean restroom and do not send a steak back to a North Dakota truck stop diner.
During numerous drives down to Florida, we have stopped at the turisto trap, South of the Border in South Carolina and came away quite impressed at the effort taken to give the traveler a unique and memorable Mexican experience. While traveling through North Dakota, we encountered a similar billboard assault on our senses as the South of Border signs on I-95 but these signs were for Wall Drug. Our curiosity was piqued so we decided to see what the hype was all about. Wall Drug is a cowboy themed emporium featuring a wide variety of western themed attractions. You would think that not much would give us pause at this point in our somewhat advanced years. Au contraire mes amis.
On a recent drive on the outskirts of Jacksonville, Florida, I kept passing a parking lot packed with vehicles but while trying to keep my eyes on the road could not determine what the attraction was until finally, I was stopped at a light. It was a roadside convenience store called Buc-ee’s. The Google description of Buc-ee’s characterized it as a Texas-size convenience store with 120 gas pumps. Bon Appetit called it “the best rest stop in the country, raving about its brisket tacos and Beaver Nuggets, a caramel-coated corn snack.” Buc-ees’s is also known for the cleanest restrooms in the country. With less than a quarter of a tank of fuel in the tank and three hungry grandchildren, I saw this as an opportunity to have a go at the Buc-ee’s experience.
First of all, even with 120 gas pumps I had to snake around the entire bank of pumps a couple times until I found a vacant pump. My wife took the grandchildren inside to get them some snacks. After filling up the vehicle, I parked and walked into the store. I was not prepared for what I saw.
The nearly 53,000 square foot store was packed with merchandise of every description from dog paraphernalia, clothing, snacks, a wall of every imaginative meat jerky you can think of, a bakery, a plethora of various chips, sodas and candies. Then I heard it. A chorus of voices yelling out, “HEYYYYY, CHOPPED BRISKET ON THE BOARD.” I was drawn over to the kitchen arena in the center of the store where a young man with the red Buc-ee’s shirt and a cowboy hat was wielding a huge, curved rocking knife on a cutting board covered with hot brisket. He was surrounded by similarly dressed employees repeating the same refrain as in some sort of tribal ritual.
When we finally were all back in the car, I asked the grandchildren what they thought of Buc-ee’s. Our 7 year old granddaughter asked if the people were from another country. The 9 year old grandson just said, “scary.” My wife just sat in silence shaking her head trying to make sense of what she experienced. My thoughts drifted back to the local WaWa stores we frequent in the Downbeach towns of Margate and Ventnor. Just the simple act of casually pouring one’s own coffee, fixing it just the way I like it and grabbing a warm breakfast sandwich seemed like such a simple pleasure. Pleasantries among like-minded locals are often exchanged before getting in the car for the first sip and bite of my morning’s bounty. But here at Buc-ee’s, I unwrapped my warm brisket sandwich, took a big bite savoring the tender meat and vinegary barbeque sauce. Perhaps, I will have to revisit Buc-ee’s again…alone.
Charles Eberson has been in the newspaper business for over 25 years. He has worked as a writer, advertising executive, circulation manager and photographer. His photography can be viewed at charles-eberson.fineartamerica.com
