I'm not exactly sure what one has to do to get this kind of free advertising in a major paper, but big props to the guys at Buc-ees for getting it done for themselves. I will say this, they've got an interesting story, and they certainly picked a good location in Luling, because it used to be fifty miles of basically nothing between Seguin and Flatonia. As the parent of preschoolers, believe me when I say that having more potty options on the highway, especially ones that are dependably clean, is a very nice thing. If they do for Madisonville and Wharton what they've done for Luling and Giddings, I'll consider that a good thing.

One more item:

The flagship Buc-ee's draws a vivid mix of big city and small town customers, and on weekends they come in droves. Busloads of soldiers and students poured in on a recent Sunday.

It seems to have special appeal for children and college students: "They all want a T-shirt -- they all think it's cool," said Andrew Herman, a sixth-grade Kinkaid School teacher with his class.