Buc-ee’s, a Texas-based convenience store and gas station chain with a dedicated following, has postponed the opening of its first Ohio location until next year.
Initially, the chain planned to open its first Ohio gas station by the end of this year near Dayton in Huber Heights at 8000 State Route 235. However, Jeff Nadalo, Buc-ee’s general counsel, confirmed that the new target for opening is spring 2026.
Announced in the summer of 2023, the Huber Heights location was to be Buc-ee’s first in Ohio, breaking ground last August with plans to hire at least 200 full-time employees. The site is expected to feature 100 gas pumps, 24 electric-car charging stations, and a 74,000-square-foot store offering a variety of food options, including brisket, beef jerky, and beaver nuggets.
Construction was halted last November after Buc-ee’s filed a petition in Clark County due to a legal dispute between the city of Huber Heights and the county over sewer and water services for the site. The disagreement had persisted for over a year, contributing to the delay.
In December, Huber Heights Mayor Jeff Gore announced via social media that a new agreement had been reached between the city council and the county regarding water and sewer services for Buc-ee’s. The agreement allowed construction to resume later that month.
“Construction should resume immediately,” the mayor stated in his post. “Dayton electric utility AES Ohio is currently onsite rerouting the power lines to facilitate building construction.”
Meanwhile, competition is increasing in Ohio. Sheetz has been expanding rapidly, including demolishing a Max and Erma’s restaurant in Dublin for a new location. It also transformed a former Woody’s Wing House site in Worthington into a new storefront.
Wawa, another convenience store and gas station chain, began construction on several Ohio locations last year as part of its plan to open 11 stores across the state by 2025. Over the next five to eight years, Wawa plans to open six to 10 stores annually in Ohio, aiming for up to 60 locations.
Georgia-based RaceTrac made its Ohio debut last year with a location in Findlay. The chain is preparing to build another store in Delaware after the city’s planning commission recommended approval of the site’s final plat in February.