America in a Box

This is an irrepressible part of American culture...

Friends, there’s a certain corner of American culture that’s uniquely unrivaled and I want to know how you see it…

That is, the way Americans make the biggest, brightest, and loudest shrines to culture and capitalism.

I’m talking about Disney, Universal, Saturday Night Talk Shows, the Empire State Building, McDonald’s, Nike, and Coca-Cola, among a great many others…

And before I go any further, I should say that I am not criticizing any of this, nor am I poking fun. I actually love these things (especially McDonald’s).

For me, these things are America in a Box. They thrill, excite, entice, and ultimately take all of your money.

Maybe I’m just a sucker… but, aren’t we all?

The America in a Box I’m talking about today, and is the subject of my latest vlog, is Buc-ee’s: a gas station and convenience store chain originating in Texas, and now spreading throughout the South and up and down the East Coast.

I bloody love Buc-ee’s.

To be honest, describing Buc-ee’s as just a gas station or convenience store is to do it an enormous injustice.

And yet, many American’s will be wondering why I - and many other visitors - make such a big fuss over places like Buc-ee’s. Put simply, they could never exist anywhere other than America - or they certainly would never be founded anywhere else as an initial concept.

Buc-ee’s is truly America in a Box, and here’s why:

1. It’s enormous: I mean, the branches vary in size, but almost all of them are significantly bigger than gas stations anywhere else in the world

2. It’s bright and bold: the whole place is colorful, they have brilliant merch options, and they use all of this to pull you in, like a moth to a flame

3. The mascot: what American icon could exist without an iconic mascot? The Buc-ee’s beaver already has a cult following

4. The gift shop: every America in a Box needs a gift shop, and Buc-ee’s is no exception

5. The food and drink: all bases covered here. You need not leave hungry or thirsty

6. The restrooms: impeccably clean and huge. There are private, secure stalls for all - which isn’t common in America

And here are 5 more crazy things about Buc-ee’s:

• World’s Largest Convenience Store
  The Buc-ee’s in Luling, Texas is a mind-blowing 75,593 sq ft - bigger than most supermarkets.

• A Forest of Gas Pumps
  Several Buc-ee’s locations (including Luling and Sevierville) pack in 120 fuel pumps each. It’s less a gas station, more a fuel megahub.

• World’s Longest Car Wash
  Buc-ee’s in Katy, Texas owns the record with a 255-foot conveyor car wash - longer than a football field.

• Bathrooms So Clean They Win Awards
  Buc-ee’s restrooms are legendary. They’ve won national awards and are often rated the cleanest on any U.S. highway.

• A Shopping Mall Disguised as a Gas Station
  Inside, you’ll find barbecue, jerky walls, home decor, fresh pastries, fishing gear - thousands of items far beyond gas-station logic.

It’ll be interesting to see how far Buc-ee’s goes. Perhaps to the northern states? Maybe Canada?

Who knows… but it certainly follows in the footsteps of other audacious symbols of American culture and capitalism.

I’d love to know YOUR thoughts on all of this in the comments below.

My new vlog is out now, which was recorded at the Daytona beach branch. It’s available on your Smart TV on the YouTube app (search ‘shaunvlog’) or click the video below.

Shaun