Buc-ee’s founder and CEO Arch “Beaver” Aplin III says he’ll expand where his company is welcomed, preferring conservative, business-friendly states that support traditional values and a strong workforce, and the move has become a flashpoint in discussions about where companies choose to build and why.
I haven’t been to a Buc-ee’s yet, though plenty of people have hailed the chain for its size, food, and convenience, and viral visitors have made the stores a must-see for road-trippers. The chain’s appeal is obvious to many: big offerings, a regional identity, and a knack for turning a gas station into a destination. That popularity is part of what makes Aplin’s remarks about where he wants to invest so consequential.
Some visitors and commentators treat Buc-ee’s as a cultural symbol, not just a business success story, and Aplin’s recent comments make clear he’s thinking strategically about where to plant new locations. He told an audience at a Benton, Arkansas opening that work is easier in places where local leadership supports business and where people appreciate what the company brings. The subtext is blunt: if your state or city treats businesses poorly, companies will look elsewhere.
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Aplin has framed expansion as a simple equation: support businesses and you get investment, jobs, and growth. He praised Arkansas during the Benton opening and pointed to the city’s business-friendly environment as a key reason Buc-ee’s chose to build there. The message is not just about tax codes or incentives, it’s about an atmosphere that respects employers and the people they hire.
Aplin summed up his view plainly. He said the company has many opportunities and is growing, but that the political and cultural climate matters when deciding where to expand. That climate includes the tone set by governors, mayors, and other leaders, and he made it clear that Buc-ee’s prefers places where that tone aligns with its idea of family-oriented, business-friendly values. For Aplin, the decision is as much practical as it is cultural.
We have a lot of opportunities. We’re growing. We’re building in a lot of places. But when you find a conservative, business-friendly state with a phenomenal workforce, it makes a difference.
And I’m starting to realize life’s too short to try to build in places that people don’t appreciate what you’re bringing.
The reaction to Aplin’s comments has predictably split along political lines, with supporters saying he’s making a smart business call and critics arguing companies should remain neutral or work to improve communities wherever they locate. Still, the movement of businesses away from certain states is a trend that bears watching, because it affects local tax bases, employment, and the broader economic climate. Business leaders understandably prefer predictable rules and leadership that prioritizes growth.
Others see this as part of a larger migration pattern where people and companies move toward states that emphasize lower taxes, fewer regulatory burdens, and a pro-business stance. That shift has economic implications from wages to housing demand, and it’s reshaping regional competition. For states losing companies, the choice facing leaders is whether to double down on current policy or pivot to attract and retain investment.
Aplin went beyond abstract policy to praise specific civic behavior, saying leadership matters from the governor’s office down to local representatives. He suggested that when leadership promotes family-oriented, conservative, business-friendly values, that approach trickles down and creates an environment where companies like Buc-ee’s flourish. Those comments tie the company’s strategy directly to local political culture and administrative cooperation.
“That leadership, that concept, that idea of conservative, business-friendly, family-oriented concept works so much better if it trickles down from the very leadership from the top at the governor’s office, at the congressman, at senator, at the mayor, the representatives,” he said.
Aplin pointed to Benton as an example of the approach, saying the city’s business-friendly environment helped pave the way for Buc-ee’s newest location.
“What we found when we got here into Benton was a business-friendly town,” he said.
That line of thinking has political consequences because it frames economic decisions as responses to governance and culture, not just bottom-line calculations. When businesses weigh where to expand, they look at regulation, workforce quality, and whether local leaders make commerce feel welcome. For communities that want growth, the takeaway is clear: foster an environment that rewards employers and values the jobs they create.
Meanwhile, the debate over companies choosing certain states over others will continue to feed larger arguments about public policy, economic freedom, and the proper role of government. A single chain deciding where to build won’t settle those debates, but the pattern of moves like Buc-ee’s can influence perceptions and political narratives about which models actually work to attract investment. For now, Arch Aplin and his team are following the path that best serves their business and the customers they serve.
Buc-ee’s is expanding across the South because conservative, business-friendly states welcome investment, support job creators, and value hardworking families.
As CEO Arch Aplin put it, “Life’s too short to try to build in places that people don’t appreciate what you’re bringing.”
Will blue states ever learn?
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