Retail  February 21, 2024

Buc-ee’s Johnstown to open 6 a.m. March 18

JOHNSTOWN — Buc-ee’s, the Texas-based fueling station and convenience store making its Colorado debut in Johnstown, will open for business March 18.

The company said in a press statement Wednesday that the travel center, which caters to automobile motorists and not trucks, will open at 6 a.m. that day with a ribbon-cutting to follow at 11 a.m. 

The establishment, with its 116 fueling positions and 74,000 square feet of convenience store, is located at 5201 Nugget Road, which is the southwest corner of Interstate 25 and County Road 48 at the Johnstown exit. Buc-ee’s will also have 12 charging stations for electric vehicles.

Products to be sold at the convenience store include standard fare as well as Texas barbecue, homemade fudge, kolaches, “Beaver nuggets,” jerky and pastries. 

On hand for the ribbon-cutting will be Johnstown mayor Troy Mellon; mayor pro-tem Damien Berg; council members Jesse Molinar, Dianne Morris, Andrew Paranto, and Chad Young; and town manager Matt LeCerf.

The Johnstown store is Buc-ee’s 48th and its largest; it also is located the farthest north of any Buc-ee’s stores. Other locations are in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Missouri. 

“We picked a great partner in the community of Johnstown for our first store in Colorado,” Stan Beard of Buc-ee’s said in a written statement. “At the foothills of the beautiful northern Front Range, this Buc-ee’s will introduce all sorts of bikers, hikers, skiers, and campers to the cleanest restrooms, friendliest staff, and freshest food they’ll ever find on a road trip.”  

Buc-ee’s Johnstown location will employ more than 200 full-time workers, with pay ranging from $18 to $33 per hour. Jobs will include cashiers, warehousing and food service workers such as people slicing and selling barbecued brisket and retail associates selling clothing or hunting gear. “It’s like big box retail, stocking shelves,” Josh Smith, director of operations for Buc-ee’s, told BizWest in January.

The store does not have a sit-down restaurant but does sell a lot of food. “About 50% of our business is in food service,” Smith said. The store caters to travelers who will stop for fuel, buy food or other convenience items and head back out on the road.

Ken Amundson
Ken Amundson is managing editor of BizWest. He has lived in Loveland and reported on issues in the region since 1987. Prior to Colorado, he reported and edited for news organizations in Minnesota and Iowa. He's a parent of two and grandparent of four, all of whom make their homes on the Front Range. A news junkie at heart, he also enjoys competitive sports, especially the Rapids.
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