Just Askin' | Will a Buc-ee's be built near Louisville? Here's what we know

The small Kentucky town of Smiths Grove hosts the country's newest Buc-ee's , giving Louisville road trippers another pit stop to consider during a ride on Interstate 65.

With a footprint spanning over 50,000 feet, Buc-ee's is stocked with barbecue sandwiches, beef jerky, brownies and Beaver Nuggets . Some Smiths Grove customers walk in wearing Buc-ee's t-shirts and mascot costumes. There are plenty of opportunities for fans to buy new Buc-ee's merchandise, as just about every household item, from drink coasters to lawn chairs, are available in the aisles.

With multiple travel centers surrounding Louisville, is the Derby City due for a Buc-ee's experience? Here is what The Courier Journal learned from the popular gas station and convenience store chain.

Are there plans to build a Buc-ee's in or near the Louisville metro?

Buc-ee's declined to comment.

The company does not keep all of its development plans a secret, such as its project near Dayton, Ohio, about a three-hour drive from Louisville. The location, the first to be built in Ohio, could open sometime in 2025, The Columbus Dispatch previously reported .

Which Buc-ee's is closest to Louisville?

Kentucky's two Buc-ee's locations are just about the same distance from Louisville, one in Smiths Grove (about 20 minutes from Bowling Green) and another in Richmond (south of Lexington off Interstate 75). Barring any traffic, it would probably take you a little more than 90 minutes from Louisville to get to either location.

Buc-ee's has yet to set up shop in Indiana , so Hoosier fanatics will have to cross state lines for now.

Can a Buc-ee's store boost area tourism?

Buc-ee's estimated thousands of people made a pit stop at the new travel center in Smiths Grove during its first day of business June 24, a company spokesperson said.

Some newer Buc-ee's stores seem to constantly stay busy, as Daytona Beach, Florida officials found a travel center in their city drew 5.4 million visitors between during a 12-month period ending in October 2023. Daytona Beach is home to NASCAR's most popular race, hosted by a speedway which attracts over 1 million people annually, according to a report from The Daytona Beach News Journal .

The Smiths Grove Buc-ee's could be an extra stop for tourists looking to visit the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green and Mammoth Cave National Park, which brings in around 600,000 visitors each year, according to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.

Do you think a Buc-ee's should be built near Louisville?

If you could develop a new Buc-ee's, where would you place it? Would there be Beaver Nuggets along I-65, just south of Indianapolis, or hot fudge somewhere along Interstate 71, between Louisville and Cincinnati?

Leave us a comment in the box below. We are eager to hear from you, even if your passionately against the idea of the Buc-ee's beaver settling near your home?

Trending news reporter Marina Johnson contributed. Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@gannett.com or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as Twitter

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This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Just Askin' | Will a Buc-ee's be built near Louisville? Here's what we know