STANANDLOU MARKETING/ADVERTISING

STANANDLOU is proud to be the advertising agency of record for Buc-ee’s, home of the world’s cleanest bathrooms!

Buc-ee’s is most definitely one of our funnest accounts as there are no rules except all ads must be in good taste and we can never, ever say anything bad about beavers! Everything else is fair game! We first met with Beaver Aplin, co-owner of Buc-ee’s with Don Wasek, back in 2006 when my friend, George Ciotti, recommended STANANDLOU to brand their new Starbucks-quality in-store coffee shop

I knew Beaver and I would get along fine when he showed up in jeans, t-shirt and a ball cap, same as me!

Everyone at STANANDLOU is proud to be associated with the Buc-ee’s brand and consider it a privilege to be able to help market a quality product like Buc-ee’s.

Buc-ee’s continues to be in a class all by themselves! Stay tuned for their new online store that STANANDLOU is creating. It’ll have everything you didn’t know you needed plus lot’s more!

Below is a Wikipedia entry we wrote for Buc-ee’s

Buc-ee’s is a travel stop chain located mainly in south Texas. The store features not only necessary travel stop fare such as gasoline, prepared meals and snacks, beverages, cigarettes, ice, Texas-inspired souvenirs and accessories, but also includes what is advertised as the “world’s cleanest restrooms.”

Buc-ee’s is headquartered in Lake Jackson, Texas, their promise to the customer is “every time you stop at one of our stores, we will work hard to make sure you have a great experience.”

Owners Beaver Aplin and Don Wasek built their first store in 1982, at 899 Oyster Creek Dr. in Lake Jackson, Texas. The Buc-ee’s brand soon became known for providing quality products at reasonable prices and the cheapest ice anywhere.

Based on the success of their first store, Beaver and Don repeated the format throughout south Texas along Texas 288 corridor catering mostly to neighbors, boaters and families headed to Freeport and Surfside Beach.

The Buc-ee’s logo is a cartoon-style face of a beaver wearing a red cap inside a yellow circle. Apparently, Beaver Aplin had some say in the design of the logo.

At several Buc-ee’s locations, you will find one of Buc-ee’s newest innovations, Buc-ee’s Beanery. This Starbucks style coffee house located within Buc-ee’s offers a wide variety of coffee drinks, beverages and breakfast items.

Every coffee and beverage container includes the Buc-ee’s promise to their customers:

“As a friendly, neighborhood coffee house and as a haven on the road for weary travelers, Buc-ee’s Beanery promises to provide only the highest quality fresh roasted specialty whole bean coffees, traditional, espresso and ice blended coffee drinks, tea and tea based drinks, assorted bagels, muffins, scones and bakery items — all in a relaxed environment or to-go.”

BRANDED BUC-EE’S ITEMS

The success of the Buc-ee’s brand has spawned many opportunities within the Buc-ee’s system and in the communities it serves. You’ll find hundreds of Buc-ee’s branded products in every store ranging from taco sauce and barbecue mitts to corn nuts and fresh ice made daily.

They even supply each store with their own gasoline delivered in Buc-ee’s branded 18-wheelers.

BUC-EE’S PRODUCTS AND MERCHANDISE OFFERED NOWHERE ELSE

Buc-ee’s offers many items that you would find at larger convenience stores along with items found only at Buc-ee’s.

Standard convenience items include bread, candy, ice-cream, soft drinks, beer, newspapers and magazines, standard pantry items including peanut butter, jelly, cooking supplies, household products, and refrigerated and frozen food products.

Automobile related items such as motor oil, maps and car kits may be sold. Often toiletries and other hygiene products are stocked, as well as pantyhose and emergency items. Some stores also offer money orders and wire transfer services.

All stores carry cigarettes and other tobacco products.

For the convenience of their patrons, many Buc-ee’s locations offer prepared foodservice including breakfast, lunch and dinner items.
Food items include fresh prepared breakfast tacos, burritos, nachos, hot dogs, chicken strips, sandwiches and wraps, party trays, cookies, muffins, scones and fruit kolaches.

Most items are made fresh in Buc-ee’s in-store bakery and deli.

Buc-ee’s does not allow the sale of adult magazines at any of their locations nor condones the sale of any items that may negatively affect the morals of the community it serves.

All Buc-ee’s store are open 24 hours every day including all national holidays.

BUC-EE’S CAR WASH

Buc-ee’s Car Wash is a long tunnel filled with the latest equipment built on a large site in conjunction with a superb Buc-ee’s Convenience store, Deli & top line made to order Coffee Shop (Buc-ee’s Beanery). The manager will be responsible for all aspects of operation including maintenance, scheduling, employee selection, equipment selection, marketing and customer related issues.

BUC-EE’S KIOSKS

For people on-the-go, Buc-ee’s has kiosks installed at the gas pumps at about 30 Buc-ee’s locations.

“One of the most time-saving uses for customers of the Buc-ee’s kiosk is that you can order your food while you are pumping your gas and then go inside to pick up your order,” said Chris Montgomery, general manager of Intermedia, the manufacturer of the kiosks. “With this kiosk, you have a blurring of the lines between restaurants, gas stations and supermarkets.”

BUC-EE’S LOCATIONS

Today, the Buc-ee’s empire totals over 25 stores.

BUC-EE’S FLAGSHIP STORE IN LULLING, TEXAS

The “Flagship” store located in Lulling, Texas, on Interstate 10, is a Texas institution offering everything and anything a traveler would need AND MORE. Covering over 10 acres, this one-of-a-kind store features the world’s fastest gas pumps, 20 pounds of ice for 99 cents, the aforementioned “cleanest restrooms on earth”, and the most fun billboards on I-10 inviting you to visit. Buc-ee’s has become THE place to stop to refill, refresh and replenish.

BUC-EE’S BILLBOARDS

The billboard signs encourage travelers with fun, irreverent messages that dot the highway from Louisiana to the middle of Texas.

BUC-EE’S GASOLINE

The gasoline and diesel fuel at Buc-ee’s is unconditionally guaranteed and second to none.

Every grade of Buc-ee’s gasoline contains specially formulated additives that clean your engine as you drive.

Buc-ee’s fuel tanks have electronic monitors and 10-micron fuel filters that ensure the highest quality gasoline and diesel.

You can always depend on Buc-ee’s to have the freshest, cleanest gasoline in town.

BUC-EE’S IS A GOOD CORPORATE CITIZEN

Buc-ee’s is also a good corporate citizen as Buc-ee’s supports the communities they’re in by contributing where the need is critical and the effect long term for Buc-ee’s customers and employees.

To apply for a contribution, organizations must be an eligible 501(c)(3) organization based in a community where Buc-ee’s operates.

Buc-ee’s reviews contribution requests during the first week of each quarter. If a request is approved, the organization will be notified by telephone during the second week of the quarter. This is the only time that contributions are reviewed and approved. The next review date is 10/5/2007.

Organizations can apply for a contribution by filling out a Contribution Form downloaded from their website at www.bucees.com and faxing the form and a copy of their latest 501(c)(3) annual report and a copy of their form 990 to Buc-ee’s at 979-230-2921.

EMPLOYMENT AT BUC-EE’S

Buc-ee’s operates truly clean and friendly convenience stores unlike the majority of travel stops today. This is reflected by the attitude and professionalism of their employees.

The following is an excerpt from one of their recent job listings:

“If you take pride in your work and realize that EVERY customer deserves great service with lots of smiles, then we may have a job opportunity for you. Buc-ee’s is a great place for Seniors and early retirees to get back into the workplace either full or part time.

Come to stay. Come to excel. If you have a history of changing jobs frequently, not being punctual, and generally most places you have worked don’t understand you then Buc-ee’s is probably not for you. If you like to learn, work with others and get satisfaction from a job well done then please apply. Go to this link and click ‘Careers’: http://www.buc-ees.com/careers.html”

Buc-ee’s is a place where employees work hard to make each store the very best. Buc-ee’s offers great opportunities for growth and success to hard working, high performing employees.

Applications for employment can be found online at www.bucees.com where many exciting positions are available ranging from Managers and Shift Leader to Full/Part Time Clerks and Food Service Workers.

Buc-ee’s believes that great people who work hard and perform well should be rewarded for what they do. That’s why Buc-ee’s offers the opportunity to every hourly employee to earn up to a 25 cent raise every six months.

The following are some frequently asked questions regarding working at Buc-ee’s.

HOW OFTEN WILL I BE PAID?
Everyone is paid weekly.

WILL I HAVE TO WORK HOLIDAYS AND WEEKENDS?
Yes. Buc-ee’s stores are always open and store employees work weekends and holidays. Hourly employees earn double time on major holidays.

MAY I CHOOSE THE STORE WHERE I WILL WORK?
No. Buc-ee’s will assign you to a store that has an open position that matches your abilities. However, Buc-ee’s will try to assign you to a store that is reasonably close to your home.

HOW LONG UNTIL I AM PROMOTED?
It depends on the available positions and on your performance.

HOW WILL MY PERFORMANCE BE EVALUATED?
Your performance will be evaluated based on:
• Punctuality
• Attendance
• Efficient and timely completion of assigned tasks
• Compliance to company policies and store procedures, including strict adherence to the dress code
• Communications with customers, co-workers and management

WHAT IS THE DRESS CODE?
Store employees must wear khaki pants and a clean, professional, solid red shirt with a collar. In cooler weather, employees may also wear a red sweater or coat.

Store employees are not allowed to wear:
* visible tattoos
* body piercing
* tongue posts
* unnatural colored hair
* long hair on men
* open toe shoes
* torn or faded clothing

CAN I WEAR A BEARD?
Employee’s that choose to wear beards must keep them very neat, short and trimmed.

CAN I USE TOBACCO PRODUCTS WHILE AT WORK?

No. Any use of tobacco products by employees while on the store premises is prohibited.

DO I HAVE TO TAKE RANDOM DRUG TESTS?
Yes. All Buc-ee’s employees are subject to random drug testing.

DOES BUC-EE’S HAVE A DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING POLICY?
Yes. Go to www.bucees.com to read policy.

IS THERE A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK?
Yes.

IF I HAVE A MINOR OFFENSE IN MY PAST, AM I STILL ELIGIBLE TO BE HIRED BY BUC-EE’S?
It depends on the offense, how long ago it was, and how you’ve led your life since.

DO I NEED A BANK OR CREDIT UNION ACCOUNT TO WORK AT BUC-EE’S?
Yes. Buc-ee’s payroll is directly deposited into employees’ checking or savings accounts weekly.

DOES BUC-EE’S DO EMPLOYMENT HISTORY BACKGROUND CHECKS?
Yes. We have one of the most extensive background checks in the industry.

REVIEWS

“Anybody that has driven on I10 west in western Louisiana or eastern Texas has heard of Buc-ee’s, mainly because of their huge billboards with bizarre things written on them. All of these billboards feature a big, smiling beaver (the Buc-ee’s logo) with huge letters next to it, proclaiming that Buc-ee’s has “Fabulous Bathrooms”, among other things. Not all are direct advertisements. On one road trip, after counting at least sixteen billboards for the rest stop, we were having a lighthearted argument over what the animal on all the signs actually was. Was it a chipmunk? Squirrel? A combination of the two? That’s when a billboard came out of hiding behind a tree and, in the usual big letters, said “It’s a beaver!”

Buc-ee’s is definitely not your typical gas station. Located in Luling, Texas, which is about 60 miles from San Antonio, it’s a mecca for tired travelers. Inside, you can of course get the typical gas-station-convenience-store coffee and bag of chips. However, you can also choose from an array of fresh produce, homemade items (jams, etc), and jerky. And, if you are looking for a Texas-oriented present, the side of the store draped in a Texas flag offers plenty. It’s not often that you come back from a trip with pictures of a rest stop on the way, but on one trip, my friends had plenty of them playing with toys and cowboy hats here!

The bathrooms definitely live up to their advertising as well. While they aren’t spotless, they are a far cry from the normal grunge you have to endure at a quick pit stop on the side of the road. Plus, there are plenty of them—at least ten. The friends I was evacuating with would have certainly liked this, rather than having to wait in line for an hour at a gas station closer to Houston!

On the way back from San Antonio, Buc-ee’s was packed. They still had gas at their thirty pumps, which was better than most stations within a 100 mile radius of Houston. Everyone had to fill up to last themselves not only for the trip, but until the gas trucks finally made their way into Houston!

I did not realize that Buc-ee’s was a chain until we drove along lesser-known roads back to Houston. We found one just outside El Campo, and on searching the Internet, I found that the first store wasn’t the Luling one! Apparently, the chain is based around the Lake Jackson area, but their flagship is definitely the Luling store. If I have passed Schulenburg, home of the Oakridge Smokehouse, I always wait until Buc-ee’s for a stop, because I know it will be clean and it will provide a little bit of amusement on an otherwise boring drive.”

“Buc-ee’s is one of the best convenience stores/road pit stops you will find.”

“The biggest Buc-ee’s in existence resides on I-10 heading to San Antonio. Everything you can imagine is located in the hallowed walls of the buck toothed one. Even Buc-ee’s t-shirts. Impossible to miss if you are driving down I-10. Each billboard sign informing you if the earthly delights that await you. Be sure to take lots of pictures!”