By Lena W. Claybon
Buc-ee’s hasn’t even opened the doors to its new Ruston travel center yet, but comments from the popular chain’s CEO are stirring controversy and prompting some consumers to call for a boycott.
Arch “Beaver” Aplin III, co-founder and CEO of the Texas-based travel center chain, drew attention following remarks he made August 17 at the grand opening of a new Buc-ee’s in Benton, Arkansas.
“We have a lot of opportunities. We’re growing. We’re building in a lot of places,” Aplin told the crowd. “But when you find a conservative, business-friendly state with a phenomenal workforce, it makes a difference.”
Aplin went further, saying he was “starting to realize life’s too short to try to build in places that people don’t appreciate what you’re bringing versus a place like this, where people do appreciate what you’re building.”
He also described a “conservative, business-friendly, family-oriented” philosophy that he said works better when it “trickles down” from state and local political leadership — including governors, members of Congress, senators, mayors and representatives.
The remarks have generated criticism online, particularly from consumers who believe Aplin unnecessarily injected partisan politics into a brand patronized by people across the political spectrum.
Some critics interpreted the comments as suggesting that people in Democratic-leaning states do not share Buc-ee’s values or would not “appreciate” what the company brings to their communities. Others see it as a dog whistle for Maga-leaning politics and questioned why political ideology should factor into deciding which communities receive the jobs and economic development associated with a new Buc-ee’s.
Calls to boycott the chain have followed. The San Antonio Express-News reported that one Instagram post calling for a Buc-ee’s boycott received nearly 89,000 likes, while another post specifically urging a boycott because of Aplin’s political giving received approximately 28,000 likes.
The controversy also has drawn attention to Aplin’s political contributions. The Express-News, citing Transparency USA, reported that Aplin has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to campaigns supporting Republican candidates and officeholders. Aplin’s political contributions have drawn criticism before, and Buc-ee’s faced boycott calls as far back as 2014 after its owners endorsed Republican Dan Patrick in his campaign for Texas lieutenant governor.
Why the Comments Are Striking a Nerve
For many of those criticizing Buc-ee’s, the issue appears to go beyond the political views of its CEO.
Business owners and executives have the same right as anyone else to hold and express political views. What has angered some consumers is Aplin’s decision to publicly connect those views to the company’s expansion strategy.
The comments come at a time when Americans are increasingly making purchasing decisions based on the perceived political and social positions of corporations and their executives. Buc-ee’s has built a broad and enthusiastic following around something decidedly nonpolitical — road trips, clean bathrooms, barbecue, snacks and its familiar beaver mascot. Aplin’s remarks have now placed the company in the middle of the nation’s partisan divide.
Aplin also did not announce a formal policy prohibiting Buc-ee’s from entering Democratic-led states. His remarks instead indicated a preference for what he considers “conservative” and business-friendly political environments.
Controversy Comes as Buc-ee’s Expands
The political backlash arrives while Buc-ee’s is already facing criticism on another front.
The company has been embroiled in a trademark dispute with Beaver’s Mini Mart, a small convenience store in Beavercreek, Ohio. Buc-ee’s contends that the smaller store’s beaver logo infringes on its trademark.
That fight has generated its own grassroots backlash, with residents, businesses and public officials rallying around the local store. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, called Buc-ee’s lawsuit “absurd,” while Beavercreek officials passed a resolution recognizing the beaver as part of the city’s history. The controversy has also produced social-media posts using the hashtag #BoycottBucees.
Buc-ee’s Is Coming to Ruston
Whatever effect the national controversy ultimately has on the company, it hits especially close to home in Lincoln Parish.
Construction is underway on Louisiana’s first Buc-ee’s in Ruston near Interstate 20 and Tarbutton Road. The City of Ruston says the massive travel center is expected to include more than 70,000 square feet of retail space and more than 100 fuel pumps, with a projected opening in 2027.
The project has been promoted as a major economic development opportunity for the area. Earlier reports estimated that the Ruston location could create approximately 200 jobs and attract thousands of vehicles a day.
Buc-ee’s own website continues to list among its planned 2027 openings. The company also plans a second Louisiana location in Lafayette in 2028.
That makes the controversy more than a distant social-media debate for residents of Grambling, Ruston and the surrounding area. Buc-ee’s is preparing to become one of Lincoln Parish’s most recognizable new businesses and a significant local employer.
Whether the CEO’s comments will have any measurable effect on the company’s enormous popularity remains to be seen. The criticism does, however, illustrate the risk companies face when their corporate identity becomes intertwined with partisan politics: customers who once saw only brisket, Beaver Nuggets and a place to fill up the tank may begin seeing something else when they look at that familiar Buc-ee’s sign.