Wally’s has officially opened the doors to its first location in Indiana, located in Whitestown.
The 53,000-square-foot location is the chain’s third location in total, and the largest in its network. Situated along Interstate 65, Wally’s President and CEO Michael Rubenstein told local outlet IndyStar that the chain is “creating an elevated travel experience for the family traveler.”
“There’s a growing segment of the market, and people are looking for foodservice, clean restrooms and an experience,” he continued.
The store will offer a wide range of foodservice and beverage offerings, merchandise, fuel and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
Known as the “Home of the Great American Road Trip,” Wally’s embodies this designation through intentional, unique branding with a Route 66 theme, nods to classic American road trip movies in-stores and retro decor.
The Whitestown store, according to IndyStar, will feature more than 84 fuel pumps and 20 EV chargers.
But Wally’s isn’t stopping at Indiana — in April, the chain broke ground on its first Missouri location in Independence. The travel stop is reportedly planned to be slightly larger than its Indiana site at 54,000 square feet and will have 84 fuel pumps, EV charging stations and a full c-store.
The project was first announced and approved by the Independence City Council in October 2025, with the groundbreaking marking a significant step forward in the development of Wally’s second Missouri store.
According to the city’s original plans for the location, the site will feature almost 300 parking spaces and more than 12 EV chargers.
As of today, Wally’s operates two locations in Pontiac, Ill., and Fenton, Mo.
Large-Scale Expansions
As Wally’s continues to make its presence known across the U.S., another familiar favorite is growing its footprint to new markets — Lake Jackson, Texas-based Buc-ee’s.
Both Buc-ee’s and Wally’s feature massive, expansive c-stores, an almost overwhelming product assortment and a business model based on being a destination for traveling consumers.
Over the past seven years, Buc-ee’s has opened locations in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Colorado, Mississippi and Virginia. Since 2024 alone, Buc-ee’s has also broken ground on its first location in Kansas.
Most recently, the chain broke into the Grand Canyon State with its first location in Goodyear, Ariz., on June 22.
In typical Buc-ee’s fashion, the 74,000-square-foot store offers 120 fueling positions, Texas barbecue, homemade fudge, merchandise and much more, according to a statement from the company.
City Manager Bryan Langley, Mayor Joe Pizzillo and other local dignitaries were in attendance at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“We could not have picked a better location for our first store in the Grand Canyon state. Perfectly placed for our road-trippers headed out to California or coming in for the destination-rich Phoenix area, Goodyear will be the place to stop,” said Stan Beard of Buc-ee’s.
The retailer now operates 56 stores across Texas, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Colorado, Mississippi, Virginia, Georgia and Ohio.
“We are incredibly excited that Buc-ee’s chose Goodyear as its newest home,” said Mayor Joe Pizzillo. “Their investment highlights the powerful economic momentum driving our city forward. This project brings new jobs, new visitors and new opportunities for our community. We can’t wait to welcome travelers who come for the iconic Buc-ee’s experience and discover why Goodyear is one of the fastest-growing, most dynamic cities in the nation. While they’re here, we encourage visitors to explore our vibrant downtown at Goodyear Civic Square, enjoy our local restaurants and businesses and experience everything that makes Goodyear such a special place to live, work and visit.”
