Arkansas road trippers will have to wait longer for the state’s second Buc-ee’s. Buc-ee’s now lists West Memphis, Arkansas, for 2029 on its own website, pushing the project beyond the June 2028 timing that regional outlets reported in late December 2025.
Buc-ee’s latest timeline now points to 2029
The clearest current update comes from Buc-ee’s itself. On the company’s contact page, under estimated opening dates, Buc-ee’s lists West Memphis, Arkansas, for 2029 and notes that those dates are subject to change. That matters because the company had previously been tied to an earlier schedule in local reporting.
WSMV reported on December 29, 2025, that the West Memphis location was then slated for June 2028. That report also said the site was planned off Interstate 40 near North 7th Street, next to the Cracker Barrel and two new hotels. As of October 22, 2026, Buc-ee’s own listing is later than that 2025 report.
That makes this less of a grand opening announcement and more of a moving target. Buc-ee’s has not posted a firm opening day for West Memphis, and its website specifically frames the date as an estimate. For anyone planning future I-40 stops around Memphis, the practical takeaway is simple: West Memphis is still on the map, but not soon.
What is planned for the West Memphis site
Past reporting has described a very large Buc-ee’s for the Arkansas side of the Memphis market. The Coconut Mama’s summary of the project, citing earlier reporting, said the proposed West Memphis store has been described as a roughly 74,000 square foot travel center on about 34 acres, with about 120 fueling positions and as many as 225 jobs. Those figures describe the proposal, not an opened store.
The same source said the project would sit near North Seventh Street, just across the Mississippi River from Memphis, Tennessee. That would put the location on a major long distance route for drivers using Interstate 40, a busy corridor for travelers moving east and west through the Mid South.
For home cooks and families on the road, Buc-ee’s matters because it is built around grab and go food as much as fuel. Buc-ee’s says its travel centers offer fresh hot food around the clock, plus cold sandwiches, fruit cups, wraps, salads, protein packs, a jerky bar, and homemade fudge. BBQ sandwiches are available from 10:30 AM until after midnight, with breakfast running from 4:00 AM to 10:30 AM.
Arkansas has one Buc-ee’s now, but West Memphis is still a wait
Arkansas is no longer waiting on its first Buc-ee’s. Quartz reported that Buc-ee’s opened its Benton, Arkansas, location on August 17, 2026, with a 74,000 square foot store and 120 fueling positions. That gives Arkansas travelers a current in state option while West Memphis remains in development.
The broader expansion schedule also shows West Memphis is not the only project on a long runway. Buc-ee’s own website lists Gallaway, Tennessee, for 2027, Mebane, North Carolina, and Lafayette, Louisiana, for 2028, then West Memphis, Ocala, and Oak Grove for 2029. FOX 13 Tampa Bay likewise reported this summer that West Memphis was among the locations expected starting in 2029.
So, if you are planning food stops between Little Rock and Memphis, Benton is the Arkansas Buc-ee’s you can actually visit today. West Memphis remains a future location, and 2029 is the newest public target, not a guaranteed opening date. Until the company announces construction milestones or a firm grand opening, drivers should treat that year as an estimate and nothing more.