DAYTONA BEACH – As if the Buc-ee’s in Daytona Beach wasn’t already larger than life, the gas station emporium is now working on building an adjacent car wash – the largest in Florida at that. The sprawling new addition to their massive complex would make the massively popular destination likely even more crowded.
The plan by Buc-ee’s to develop the car wash was confirmed by Buc-ee’s Ltd. General Counsel Jeff Nadalo to several news organizations on Wednesday, following speculation about the initial signs of construction next to the Buc-ee’s. It will be 235 feet long, located squarely at the corner of LPGA Blvd and Technology Blvd, just off the I-95 exit.
While Buc-ee’s does hold the record for the world’s longest car wash (its Katy, Texas location is 255 feet long), this new addition will become the longest car wash in the state of Florida. It is expected to be open some time in summer or fall 2024, with hordes of Buc-ee’s enthusiasts sure to swarm the establishment to get the first crack at a fresh shine.
A recent study by the City of Daytona Beach found that the LPGA Blvd Buc-ee’s receives approximately 5.4 million visitors per year, more than any other one tourism destination in Volusia County receives annually. About 3.6 million of those are one-time visits, likely tourists, and so the remaining 1.8 million are customers coming back at least one more time. Since Daytona Beach got its own Buc-ee’s in March 2021, commerce all along LPGA Blvd has been profoundly affected. New developments are occurring at a fast pace, including in the litany of retail shopping centers just across the street.
Beyond that, Buc-ee’s regularly offers gas magnitudes cheaper than any other business in Volusia or the surrounding counties, and so motorists are known to plan their days around getting gas there. As of Thursday, the average cost of a gallon of gas in Florida was $2.90. In Volusia County it was $2.93, and in Flagler County it was $2.97. The Buc-ee’s in Daytona Beach lists its gas at $2.59. The appeal is evident.
Chris Gollon is a Flagler County resident since 2004, as well as a staple of the local independent music scene and avid observer of Central Florida politics, arts, and recreation.
TR
December 15, 2023 at 1:12 pm
Oh boy watching a video yesterday as a car went through the one in Texas. It seems like a lot of waste being they actually what looked like they wash the car twice. Can’t wait to see what they will charge to cover the cost of what the environmental agency charges for the waste water disposal.