How Buc-Ee's Got Its Iconic Beaver Logo

When fans think of Buc-ee's, they likely think of the chain's iconic beaver mascot before thinking of Beaver Nuggets or the "Cleanest Restrooms in America," as the brand's official website promises. This Texas-based American gas station and convenience store chain is known for its gargantuan stores, immaculate bathrooms, wide-ranging inventory, and fare like Texas barbecue, kolaches, and beef jerky. The Buc-ee's location in Luling, TX alone boasts 120 gas pumps, and at 75,593 square feet, it currently holds the world record for largest convenience store on earth. Buc-ee's also holds the world record for the longest car wash on the planet, with a whopping 255 feet of conveyor belt – all under the watchful, unassailably cheerful eye of the Buc-ee's beaver.

The name "Buc-ee's" comes from owner Arch "Beaver" Aplin III's childhood nickname. Per the lore, Buc-ee's is a portmanteau of Aplin's dog "Buck" and the "Bucky the Beaver" toothpaste brand mascot that was well-known to consumers of the 1980s, when the chain got its initial start.

Disney Commercial Studios created the original Bucky the Beaver character for the Bristol-Myers Company in the 1950s. Bucky was the face of ipana toothpaste brand, where a playful ad campaign posed the beaver as a hero against villain character DK Germ, and sang his "Brusha, brusha, brusha" jingle (which even gets referenced in the sleepover scene from "Grease"). But, when Bristol-Myers expanded its foray into medicine over toothpaste, Bucky began to fade from the 1970's public eye.  Enter: Buc-ee's.

Buc-ee's beginnings happened in 1982, when the first 3,000-square-foot store opened in Texas. By 1985, a second location opened sporting 6,000 square feet and a kitchen for selling food. Soon after, more Buc-ee's stores had opened, peddling everything from clothing to fishing gear and even hosting live music performances. Even though Bucky the Beaver of ipana toothpaste is no longer the household name he once was, Buc–ee's branding hasn't changed since its creation in 1982. The chain's friendly beaver cartoon remains adorned in bright primary colors, wearing a red baseball cap against a yellow background, further warmed up by brown, black, and white – eye-catching, inviting, and timeless.

Over the years, Buc-ee's logo has remained the same, and its concept is only growing. As of October 2025 (reported by data analytics firm ScrapeHero), Buc-ee's has a presence of 54 locations across 11 U.S. states, 36 of which are in Texas. The remaining 18 are scattered across the Southeast. Buc-ee's didn't expand beyond the Lone Star State until 2018, opening a store in Alabama before broadening its scope to Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Today, Buc-ee's locations are fronted by a large beaver statue outside. Inside, the chain sells merch like stuffed animal plushies of its cap-wearing mascot. Sometimes, stores are even visited by full-suited Buc-ee's mascots that visitors can have their picture taken with.