With Buc-ee's first Colorado location, "The Gateway to Northern Colorado" is redefined

Colorado's largest gas station, and one of the largest in North America, is now open. Buc-ee's in Johnstown is the first of the brand's several-to-come gas stations and stores in Colorado. The store opened to thousands of guests on Monday morning.

The store, which has more than 100 gas pumps and features more than 74,000 square feet of store floor, is expected to be the anchor of a major business boon in northern Colorado's small town of Johnstown.

"It's awesome," said Johnstown Mayor Troy Mellon.

The store was constructed at an intersection that has historically been farming land. While the northwest corner has long featured a liquor store and smaller gas station, the remaining corners of the I-25 interchange have been farmland. Buc-ee's arrival changes that, as now the town expects the remaining land at the interchange to be consumed by retail and housing developments.

"Buc-ee's is that first catalyst that drives what happens at this intersection," Mellon said.

"Being that anchor store, it is overpowering to know these businesses are going to help each other out," said Josh Smith, director of operations for Buc-ee's. "That just gets translated right into Johnstown and the surrounding communities."

The land across I-25 from the Buc-ee's location will soon feature a grocery store, Murdoch's, Starbucks and other shopping and restaurant options. Nearby apartments and other homes are being constructed.

"This was farmland. We put in a development that spurs other development, and that is really good back to the community," said Arch 'Beaver' Aplin, owner of Buc-ee's.

Aplin said it was important for his team to try and hire as many local people as possible to help staff the property.

"There are probably 250-plus employees, every one of them being paid a really good living wage. And that has a big impact on communities," Aplin said.

The minimum wage at the Johnstown Buc-ee's starts at more than $18 an hour.

Elected officials in Johnstown have long said the Buc-ee's and other stores will help recreate what they call "The Gateway to Northern Colorado."

Mellon noted that hundreds of thousands of vehicles pass their interchange every week. And, with a location so central to Cheyenne, Wyoming, Northern Colorado and Denver, they expect it to be an economic powerhouse for decades to come.

"(Buc-ee's employees) work locally. Their salaries go home and they spend locally," Mellon said. "It's money that comes off the river of I-25, so to speak, and it sticks here."