Despite the cult following travel center chain Buc-ee’s has amassed across the country, not everyone is excited about the construction of North Carolina’s first location.
NC activist group 7 Directions of Service has spoken out against the new location with demonstrations, statements and a 40-page report published May 27, 2025, titled “Buc-ee’s Burden: How Mega Gas Stations Hurt Community Health and Wealth.”
The nonprofit, which focuses on cultural and land reclamation and indigenous leadership, among other things, lists four major issues the organization takes with Buc-ee’s on a webpage devoted to NC’s Occaneechi Path:
Environmental impact – The 7 Directions website states that emissions from the concentration of just 200 running vehicles can create harmful conditions for breathing. With 25,000 estimated daily visitors, 7 Directions warns that the new Buc-ee’s travel center will result in an “air pollution hot-spot” in a location that is home to schools and low-income neighborhoods.
Threats to a historical indigenous site – “The entirety of the great Occaneechi Trading Path ran from Virginia to Alabama, and a significant section of the path in Mebane, NC is threatened by Buc-ee’s,” the 7 Directions website states.
Unethical workplace practices – 7 Directions cites a Texas court’s 2017 ruling against Buc-ee’s, in which repayment provisions in employment agreements were likened to “indentured servitude.” The website also references employee ratings on job websites including Indeed and Glassdor, which rank the chain “lower than most major corporations, even worse than Amazon.”
Fossil fuels – “An economy tied to fossil fuels is unpredictable and makes us vulnerable to foreign supply chain disruptions and conflicts,” 7 Directions stated in its report. “Renewable sources like solar and wind are more reliable and cheaper, and transitioning to them will help us avoid the worst of the climate crisis.”
More information on the subject, including the 40-page report, can be found on the 7 Directions website at 7directionsofservice.com/great-trading-path.
When will the North Carolina Buc-ee’s open?
The Mebane Buc-ee’s opening is planned for late 2026 or early 2027.
North Carolina Buc-ee’s details
The NC Buc-ee’s site is located at 1425 Trollingwood-Hawfields Road, Mebane, NC 27302, near the merger of Interstates 85 and 40.
Southern Living reported that the new location will measure in at a sprawling 75,000 square feet, with 120 fueling stations and more than 600 parking spaces planned.
Construction on Ohio’s first Buc-ee’s location. Similar in size to the Mebane location, the Huber Heights store will feature 100 gas pumps and a 74,000-square-foot store.
How close will the new Buc-ee’s be to Asheville?
Mebane is about 200 miles east of Asheville on I-40. According to Google Maps, it will take about three hours to drive to the new Buc-ee’s.
Is there a Buc-ee’s in NC?
The Mebane Buc-ee’s will be the state’s first location. Currently, the chain has stores in Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
Where is Buc-ee’s opening new locations?
The Mebane Buc-ee’s is one of a list of locations set to open across the country. USA TODAY Network reported that stores will open soon in the following locations:
Goodyear, Arizona: June 2026
Benton, Arkansas: September 2026
Brunswick, Georgia: July 2025
Monroe County, Georgia: Early 2026
Harrison County, Mississippi: 2025
Mebane, North Carolina: Late 2026 or early 2027
Huber Heights, Ohio: April 2026
San Marcos, Texas: May 2026
Rockingham County, Virginia: 2025
Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: When does the NC Buc-ee’s open? Activists protest NC’s first location