KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Buc-ee’s founder and CEO Arch Aplin III was in Crossville on Monday to attend the grand opening of their first location in Tennessee and said they are already looking to add a third location in the Volunteer State.

“We knew we wanted to be in Tennessee. We love the south. To be between Knoxville and Nashville was an incredible opportunity with Interstate 40,” Aplin III said at Monday’s opening of the Crossville location.

The 50th Buc-ee’s nationwide officially opened for business at 2045 Genesis Road in Crossville with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by local politicians including U.S. Representative John Rose, Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Crossville Mayor James Mayberry.

“We just felt like this was right down the bailiwick of what we were looking for between two major cities on the interstate. Crossville was ideal it was a great location. The community, the city the county were really easy to work with. As I said, business-friendly in Crossville,” Aplin said.

The 53,400 square foot travel center features 120 gas pumps, Buc-ee’s’ famously-clean restrooms and its signature one-stop shop for Texas barbecue, homemade fudge, homemade pastries and countless snack and drink options.

“I didn’t set out to build the world’s largest convenience store, it just happened,” Aplin said. “It is what we do but we didn’t do it to be the largest, we did it to be the best.”

Working at Buc-ee’s

The Crossville Buc-ee’s will bring roughly 250 new jobs to the area with starting pay at $16-$18, full benefits a 6% matching 401k, and three weeks of paid vacation. Aplin said offering above industry average compensation was a point of personal pride for him while underscoring their importance to the massive operation.

“They’re all full-time employees they have full benefits and they get paid substantially over the industry average. We kind of check every box because they’re so important,” Aplin III said. “To have a sustainable living wage and be able to operate and work within the company is critical in our book.”

When will Buc-ee’s open in Sevierville?

Construction is already underway on the 74,000-square-foot Buc-ee’s location near Sevierville which will briefly hold the title of the world’s largest convenience store when it opens in early 2023. Aplin III said Monday that the company is also eyeing a third location in the Volunteer State.

“Sevierville is under construction, and I suspect we’ll be looking and hopefully find another. At this point, we haven’t identified a third location but we will have Crossville and Sevierville. It’s actually under construction and will open early 2023.”

Following the announcement of the record-breaking Sevierville location at Exit 407, the company announced that Texas would soon reclaim the title of world’s largest convenience store with a 75,000 square foot location to replace an existing store in Luling.