Hardeeville City Council gave an initial green light for a 46.2 acre-development known as Hardee Station, which will include a Buc-ee’s — a chain of travel centers from a small town in Texas outside of Houston. It will be located at Exit 8 between Highway 17, U.S. 278 and I-95.
During Thursday night’s meeting, Mayor Harry Williams said the widening of I-95 and the addition of a light at Highway 17 and U.S. 278, which are projects led by the South Carolina Department of Transportation, would be completed by 2028. He also mentioned plans for a ribbon-cutting event with “some beavers from Texas” will take place at the same time.
In a unanimous vote, the council passed three separate ordinances on first reading, with a second and final vote on the development plan scheduled in two weeks.
Rumors have been circulating for weeks on social media about the possibility of a Buc-ee’s in Hardeeville after the mayor teased the travel center during the State of the Region event last month.
For decades, the stores could only be found throughout Texas, but in recent years they have expanded throughout the Southeast. The only other Buc-ee’s in South Carolina is located in Florence off of I-95. The chain is known for many things: their beaver mascot, their walls filled with fresh jerky, cherry sours and fudge, their breakfast tacos and jalapeno cheddar koloches.
The development will also boast walking and bike trails, electric vehicle charging stations and a dog walking area, according to representatives at the meeting.
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During public comment, Valarie Guzman, a city council member, read aloud an email she received from a concerned resident. Ansley Fagan, a four-and-a-half-year Hardeeville resident, wrote that she was excited about the growth in the area, but that she was worried about the worsening of already dangerous driving conditions and traffic on U.S. 278.
“I have serious concerns about the concentration of vehicle traffic and traffic that is about to hit the 278, 17 area,” she wrote.
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A Friday press release from the city stated, “This exciting development is set to become a significant economic driver for the region, enhancing the city’s reputation as a thriving hub for commerce and travel in South Carolina… The new store is expected to create approximately 200 new employment opportunities, ranging from entry-level positions to managerial roles, providing a boost to the local job market and offering stable, competitive wages.”
