by Malcolm Butler
Ruston has been known for decades for Bulldogs and Bearcats and Cougars.
It’s about to be known for a Beaver. A pretty famous one.
Yep. Buc-ee’s is most definitely coming to town.
The mascot of the nationally renowned travel center is about to be plastered on billboards from the Texas state line to the Mississippi state line.
Mile marker 83. Tarbutton Exit.
Get ready, Ruston. The Beaver is most definitely coming to town.
I have written a lot about this topic since the official announcement was made in early January 2023. And outside of the recent health care issues in our parish, no one topic has generated as much passionate debate as that of this Beaver.
Buc-ee is his name.
Evidently, you either love him or you hate him. People are very passionate about ol’ Buc-ee and his travel center from what I have read on social media.
Some folks aren’t too happy about the newest addition. My buddy Stephen complains all the time about it. Any time the B word is brought up, que Stephen’s negativity. His prerogative.
I have heard grumblings that stem from location to increased traffic to tax breaks to more. All fair arguments that I won’t delve into in this column.
Why not? Because this column is pro-Beaver.
Personally, I am a big fan of the ecosystem engineer portrayed by a cute little guy in a red hat. And I am a huge fan of the cleanest public bathrooms that said-varmint represents. And the BBQ sandwiches. The variety of jerky. The selection of candy and cookies and chips and Coca-Cola products and more!
Heck, I even bought a belt at Buc-ee’s in Terrell, Texas one time (packing snafu on a road trip to Denton, Texas).
And as excited as I am about the travel center opening sometime in the second quarter of 2027, I am just as eager to start hearing about what is following it to Tarbutton Exit. Every time I meet with Ronny Walker, that’s one of the first questions that I ask. Ronny has been pretty consistent with his Fort Knox reply.
“They won’t start announcing that until closer to the opening of Buc-ee’s.”
Trust me, folks who want to know. I have worn the mayor out with that question. Ronny has his reply on replay.
I know not everyone is as excited as I am about the newest, most talked-about addition to our parish in decades. And I respect those who say their shadows will never darken the sliding doors.
But, I, for one, will frequent Buc-ee’s to pay homage to the Beaver … Buc-ee himself.
Beaver nuggets, anyone?
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