Latest news with #MississippiAquarium
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mississippi Aquarium beaver billboards show similarities with new Buc-ee's opening soon
Buc-ee isn't the only beaver flashing motorists on the interstate these days. A new billboard by the Mississippi Aquarium is putting one of its animals in the spotlight, taking its cue from the billboards advertising the new Buc-ee's Travel Center opening Monday, June 9, in Pass Christian. Buc-ee is the beaver mascot for the Texas-based company. The Aquarium used its own beavers as models for billboards on Coast highways that remind motorists to visit the family-friendly venue. "We heard you like beavers. (And clean bathrooms.)," one billboard reads. It, too, is a nod to Buc-ee's, which prides itself on clean restrooms. Another Aquarium billboard says, "We've got beavers, too." "We have quite a bit of different animals here," Aquarium spokeswoman Nicole Martz said in a phone interview. "We pride ourselves on all that we have to offer. We brainstormed a bit and thought it would be a great way to showcase these guys and also show a bit of Southern hospitality — and make people smile." Your questions answered: How big is the new MS Buc-ee's? When does it open? How many gas pumps, electric chargers? It started off with the Aquarium planning its next advertising campaign, to keep things fresh while attracting new and repeat visitors. From there, it grew into a spotlight on beavers and a nod to the new business, expected to bring thousands of new visitors stopping in Mississippi to check out the travel center. "We were thinking about how to keep things fresh and showcase some of our offerings, so we were looking at what animals might not get as much sunshine as they could," Aquarium spokeswoman Nicole Martz said in a phone interview. "The beavers came to mind because they are one of the first things you see when you come into the aquarium. People kind of gravitate towards them." Elvis, B.B. and King, as they are called, are curious critters, native to Mississippi, like the musicians they are named for, Martz said. "They are so adorable," she said. "They are so charismatic and they have their own personalities. They love to learn new things, and they are so much fun to watch." Here's what happened: Mississippi Aquarium releases 10 Kemp's Ridley sea turtles. Scott Gregory, general manager for Lamar Advertising, said his company works with the Aquarium to get their billboards in strategic locations and make sure the artwork is going to hold up among other things. He said the Aquarium team's creativity is impressive. "We've gotten a lot of positive feedback from that, but really, it's thanks to them," Gregory said. "They are really creative with their design and everything that's going on, right on top of Buc-ee's coming in. They knocked it out of the park with that." "There's definitely lots of buzz in the area," Martz said. "We're all about Southern hospitality and community. We wanted to make people smile and get people talking." Gregory said he enjoys how the Aquarium is using billboards to playfully promote their animals and events. We asked the Aquarium if Elvis, B.B. and King would be attending the grand opening at Buc-ee's as special guests to the travel center's mascot. It seems they will be giving it a miss this time around. "Well, they do like to chew things, as beavers do, so I don't know if they chewed up their invitations, but we're definitely cheering everybody on over here," Martz said. Lici Beveridge is a reporter for the Hattiesburg American and Clarion Ledger. Contact her at lbeveridge@ Follow her on X @licibev or Facebook at This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi Aquarium makes play on new Buc-ee's opening with billboards
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
First Buc-ee's in Mississippi opens to hundreds of loyal fans. See customer reactions
PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. — Amanda Yarborough, a schoolteacher from Long Beach, was one of the first to arrive at Buc-ee's Travel Center on Monday, hours before the store's 6 a.m. grand opening. She brought her Buc-ee's chair and sported a Buc-ee's T-shirt and cap. "What was I thinking?" she said, holding up a purple stainless-steel mug. "I didn't bring a Buc-ee's cup." Yarborough was one of nearly 1,000 Buc-ee's fans who turned up for the first Buc-ee's to open in Mississippi. Like many other Buc-ee's fans, she likes everything. What to know about new MS Buc-ee's: How big is the new MS Buc-ee's? When does it open? How many gas pumps, electric chargers? "It's like the Amazon of gas stations," she said. At 6 a.m., hundreds stampeded the store's opening. The Ward family, who came from Alabama, discovered Buc-ee's when the Leeds, Alabama, location opened. Since 2023, the family has been to 45 stores before the Mississippi one and have the refrigerator magnets to prove it. "We're celebrating our 50th anniversary in two weeks, so this is kind of our pre-anniversary celebration," Darlene Ward said, pointing to her husband, Charlie." MS aquarium and Buc-ee's: Mississippi Aquarium beaver billboards show similarities with new Buc-ee's opening soon The couple came from Boaz, Alabama, with their daughter Angela, who lives in Livingston, Alabama. The family plans to visit the Robertsdale, Alabama, store on the way home. "That will make 47 Buc-ee's," Angela Ward said. Fifteen-year-old Scott Brown of Gautier dressed up in a Buc-ee's onesie to celebrate the store's opening. "I thought it was kind of appropriate for today," he said. Brown said he likes the food and drinks at Buc-ee's. One of the first things Brown and his friends did when the store opened was grab a few sandwiches. He couldnt wait. He scarfed one down before making it to the checkout counter. Brown has been to several Buc-ee's in Texas and Florida. Now there's one closer to home. "We go on cruises and we stop at every one of them," he said. The Mississippi location off Interstate 10 in Pass Christian is roughly 74,000 square feet — 20,000 square feet bigger than the neighboring location in Alabama. And it has 120 gas pumps, all of which were full as the store opened on Monday. This is a developing story and will be updated. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Buc-ee's opens in Pass Christian, Mississippi on June 9, 2025
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Penguin chicks on display at Mississippi Aquarium for limited time
GULFPORT, Miss. (WJTV) – Do you want the chance to see the Mississippi Aquarium's African penguin chicks? Visitors will be able to take a sneak peek at the first penguin's hatched in Mississippi on select dates and times now through April 2025. The chicks will be on display from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Mississippi Aquarium celebrates hatch of African Penguins Both chicks hatched in January and are just a little over two months old. A third penguin chick was hatched in mid to late February and is just now a month old. As part of a critically endangered species, aquarium officials said these African penguin chicks and the adult members of the colony serve as ambassadors for their species to help share their conservation message. Mississippi Aquarium is raising funds to build a permanent on-campus penguin habitat. Viewing of the chicks is included with General Admission on select dates and times for a limited time only. Guests can book a penguin encounter to meet one of the adult members of the colony. This is based on availability , and advanced reservations are recommended. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mississippi Aquarium celebrates hatch of African Penguins
GULFPORT, Miss. (WJTV) – The Mississippi Aquarium crew celebrated the hatch of their first penguin chicks at the aquarium. African Penguin Chick 1 hatched to penguin parents, Pumpkin and Blue, on January 20. On January 25, the colony grew again with the hatch of African Penguin Chick 2, hatching to surrogate parents, Fiona and Duke. When do applications open for 2025 Pelahatchie Bay Alligator Season? African Penguins are one of the most endangered penguin species and are in urgent need of conservation intervention. They are classified as a critically endangered species with less than 10,000 breeding pairs left in the wild. 'The whole crew here at Mississippi Aquarium is overjoyed to welcome the newest members of our Mississippi Aquarium family,' said Kurt Allen, President and CEO of Mississippi Aquarium. 'This is such an amazing accomplishment and a true testament to the phenomenal care our African Penguins receive here by our passionate and knowledgeable staff.' Mississippi Aquarium plans to continue to share updates on the penguin chicks through their social media channels. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
