06-02-2025
What's next for Buc-ee's in Oak Creek? City provides a timeline for the project
The City of Oak Creek Plan Commission has released a timeline on next steps for the city's future Buc-ee's location.
The proposed 74,000-square-foot store is planned to be the popular Texas-based convenience store and gas station brand's first Wisconsin location. The 24/7 Oak Creek store will be located at the intersection of South 27th Street and West Elm Road on a 29.6-acre site at 10700, 10820 and 10840 S. 27th St.
The Plan Commission held its first public meeting addressing Buc-ee's on Jan. 28, passing resolutions to change the proposed location from a business park to commercial use in the city's comprehensive plan and rezoning it from mostly agricultural zoning to the B-6 Interchange Regional Retail District.
Here's what's next for Buc-ee's in Oak Creek:
Here are the next steps for Buc-ee's in Oak Creek, according to the Plan Commission's timeline:
Tuesday, March 18: The Oak Creek Common Council will hold a public hearing to consider the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Category and rezoning application passed at the Jan. 28 public meeting. The Common Council may vote on the resolutions at the meeting.
Tuesday, April 22 (anticipated): The Plan Commission will review a Certified Survey Map (CSM) application to combine the three parcels at 10700, 10820 and 10840 S. 27th St. The commission will also review a Conditional Use Permit application for the operation of a "fueling plaza" at 27th Street and Elm Road. The commission will provide a recommendation to the Common Council.
Tuesday, May 20 (anticipated): The Common Council will hold a public hearing to consider the CSM and Conditional Use Permit applications. The Common Council may vote on them at the meeting.
Tuesday, June 10 (anticipated): The Plan Commission will review the final site, landscaping, architectural and lighting plans for the construction of the building and build-out of the site. The Plan Commission may vote on the application at the meeting. This application type doesn't go before the Common Council. It's the final step in the review process and isn't a public hearing.
An earlier statement from Buc-ee's said the Oak Creek store could open in early 2027.
The 74,000-square-foot Oak Creek convenience store would be open 24/7. It will have 60 kiosks with a gas pump on each side for a total of 120 fueling stations.
Angela Janik, project coordinator for Buc-ee's, described the convenience store as "the Disneyland of gas stations" in a presentation she gave at the Jan. 28 public meeting. Janik said it will employ between 175 and 225 full-time workers. Wages start at $18 to $20 per hour.
Janik added that Buc-ee's often partners with local vendors for products to sell in-store, including art, candles and honey ― as long as they can keep up with demand.
Buc-ee's locations attract between 4,000 and 8,000 cars daily, bringing about 100,000 visitors each week. Janik said an estimated 90% of visitors to the Oak Creek location could come from outside Milwaukee County.
In 2023, Buc-ee's said it planned to build a store in DeForest ― a village of about 10,000 in Dane County, north of Madison.
Plans for this location have experienced repeated delays, but DeForest Village Administrator Bill Chang recently told the Journal Sentinel they're "moving forward," just at a slower pace than initially anticipated. He added in late January that the Oak Creek project should have no impact on the potential DeForest project.
The proposed DeForest location would also be 74,000 square feet. It would be located off Interstate 39/90/94, near the County V interchange. Plans include 120 gas pumps and 20 electric vehicle charging stations.
Before plans can move ahead, the Village of DeForest needs to secure about $7 million in funding Buc-ee's has requested for a nearby interchange upgrade. Chang previously called this a "challenging number" but said the village plans to work with state and local elected officials to propose state legislation that would help cover the cost.
Both proposed Wisconsin stores could rival the biggest Buc-ee's store in Luling, Texas, which is 75,000 square feet and opened last summer.
More: Buc-ee's in Wisconsin: Where and when will it open? Where's the closest Buc-ee's now?
More: What's the big deal about Buc-ee's, the gas-station chain coming to Wisconsin? Let this native Texan tell you
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Buc-ee's in Oak Creek, Wisconsin: Here's an update on what's next
