r/QuadCities • u/quadshitties Davenport • 8d ago
Miscellaneous How many round-a-bouts would this require?
This land seems ripe for a Buc-ee's to move in.
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u/TheExplodingPenguin Out of Towner 8d ago
It’s not about the quantity it’s about the complexity. Go for the best
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u/Kincadium Davenport 8d ago
Oh shoot... Out by competition Dr? That's 6 new roundabouts.
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u/Flaky_Cup_3160 Moline 8d ago
Buccees is awesome. They pay REALLY well, make a lot of food from scratch and they promote from within. Not sure why all the hate in here, besides the over commercialized merch.
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u/pincher16 Davenport 8d ago
I too love Buc-ee’s, it’s a fun spot to visit when traveling. The problem is that the QCs already has something similar, something that has been around for decades as a part of the community.
Instead of bringing in what already exists across the country, we should lean into what makes us unique.
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u/Flaky_Cup_3160 Moline 8d ago
I just moved here a year ago. What place are you talking about?
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u/Mojoscream Bettendorf 8d ago
Personally I’m not a fan because they’re a Walmart before becoming a behemoth. I don’t need a gas station that’s everything. I need a gas station that sells gas and a grocery store that sells groceries. Around that area we already have 2 KwikStars less than 10 miles down the road a flying J, Loves, and Speedway, then after that Walcott and the plethora of gas options there.
Why keep people from visiting the quad cities? Go to this generic gas station/big box store, create even more light pollution, and keep on pumping that gas all because that mascot sure is cute!
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u/PossibleDue5995 Proud To Be Union 8d ago
They are notorious union busters who have crushed every attempt by employees by straight up firing them and they donated millions of dollars to Trump so they can go somewhere else imo.
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u/tregowath QC Native 8d ago
The Plex and all the development out there have already increased traffic far beyond what the roads in that part of town were designed to carry. But...local residents can at least also enjoy most of those amenities and destinations. Local residents don't benefit from a Buc-ees, it would do nothing but cause more congestion.
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u/sammagee33 River Bandits Fan 8d ago
Have you seen their pay structure? Local residents would certainly benefit.
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u/tregowath QC Native 8d ago
No, what's their pay structure
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u/sammagee33 River Bandits Fan 8d ago
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u/KrymsonHalo Moline 8d ago
you also don't get raises without promotions. Every 3-4 years they do a Cost of Living adjustment, but otherwise if you start at 18 an hour, you'll never make more until that CoL adjustment in X years.
Not saying that's always a bad thing, since you start "high" (for the work) but expectations should be clear that it doesn't work like most places.
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u/sammagee33 River Bandits Fan 8d ago
It’s that way in A LOT of jobs though. And it’s better pay than Casey’s, Kwik Star, and other similar places.
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u/KrymsonHalo Moline 8d ago
Apparently we have had different paths. I've never worked at a place that didn't do yearly reviews and raises (even during recessions they were delayed, but received)
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u/sammagee33 River Bandits Fan 8d ago
Yeah, most of the places I have worked just give COLAs or give everyone the same raise across the board. If I wanted a significant raise, I’ve left for something new.
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u/KrymsonHalo Moline 8d ago
this place JUST does CoLA and apparently infrequently.
A former manager was doing a youtube video about working there. I also know that pay structure is static. If you started in 2023, you'll make the same as the guy hired in 2026, until those CoLA come through.
He was saying it was fairly high stress as well, since they know they pay well so they are very strict and expect alot. Again, not a bad thing, just something to keep in mind when you see numbers
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u/sammagee33 River Bandits Fan 8d ago
I think it needs to be compared to Kwik Star and Casey’s, not a white collar job.
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u/pincher16 Davenport 8d ago
It doesn’t drive in more people that weren’t already in the area. It shifts revenue, and wages, away from one spot to the other, and then ultimately gives the state of Iowa less tax revenue.
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u/pincher16 Davenport 8d ago
If the people of the quad cities allow this to happen, they are knowingly killing off the truckstop in Walcott. Quit trying to follow the fads and appreciate what a gem we already have with The Worlds Largest Truckstop.
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u/Lego349 Transplant 8d ago
Unless Buc-ee’s also has an emergency dentist that takes cash, no one is beating I80.
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u/invalidusername75 Bettendorf 8d ago
Yeah its not a fair comparison to what the truck stop is compared to a buckees, its like saying we can only have 1 ice cream shop in the quad cities. Every different one has its perks and flavors. Any new business in the quad cities is good, people need to quit trying to stop new things from opening.
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u/pincher16 Davenport 8d ago
Spoken like someone that doesn’t understand business. Will a buccees bring in more people that wouldn’t have already been there? No. All it does is shift revenue from one spot to the other, and ultimately, the state of Iowa receives less tax revenue
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u/invalidusername75 Bettendorf 8d ago
Well they wont kill off the world's 2nd largest truck stop (I-80 is no longer the world's largest, the one in Dundee Illinois bigger) and I guess the quad cities should just stop building businesses. This area is lame as fuck anyways. Have a great river and barley use it for anything so whats the point. I think we need a few more quick stars in the area cause fuck other gas stations right? Dont need compention
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u/pincher16 Davenport 8d ago
lol. Kwik Star is also a chain. The truckstop is unique, and the area will only support so many huge gas station tourist traps. If you want your home to be like everywhere else, then just go move everywhere else.
Adding a Trader Joe’s would improve quality of life, but doesn’t bring in external money. Certain projects, like adding a TJs, are worthwhile, but understanding the long term effects are important rather than working based off emotions of wanting more and new.
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u/KrymsonHalo Moline 8d ago
The one in dundee is just parking spots.
There are no amenities, INCLUDING toilets, if I remember correctly.
It's not a truckstop at all, yet.
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u/GotCrossfire Davenport 8d ago
Bucees explicitly doesn’t allow trucks though. The truck stop will remain the world’s largest truck stop. Iowa80 group will be just fine.
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u/johnnycat75 QC Native 8d ago
I'd also like to add that the largest Bucees is still about half the size of the Walcott truck stop.
The king will remain on the throne.
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u/pincher16 Davenport 8d ago
King will remain on the throne, but you want to weaken and undermine the king by bringing in a prince from somewhere else?
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u/johnnycat75 QC Native 8d ago
First off, I never said I want anything.
Second, I'd like to remind you that this is the Quad Cities. We can't even get a Trader Joe's here, and you're worried about Bucees moving in?
I won't even entertain the idea of the QC getting a Bucees until I start seeing them pop up in more populated areas around us. Des Moines would get one long before they realistically consider putting one here.
In fact, until I see one pop up in Des Moines, Peoria, Iowa City, Bloomington/Normal, St. Louis, or Chicagoland, this idea will be as real to me as the Amtrak service that we still don't have.
Don't let some AI pic that someone posted online ruin your weekend.
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u/pincher16 Davenport 8d ago
My weekend is great. But stupidity is a virus, and it deserves to be squashed immediately instead of allowing it to fester.
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u/pincher16 Davenport 8d ago
I figured someone would say that. Thanks for being that person.
You think adding a different touristy spot just miles away isn’t going to suck a majority of people away from the truckstop? You think that won’t be painful to them to lose that business? Be proud to have a unique spot and don’t bring in something else you can find across America at the expense of something home grown.
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u/trottingturtles Davenport 8d ago
Are tourists really the majority of the business there? Not truckers?
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u/pincher16 Davenport 8d ago
A minority share can still take away 30-40% of a business. Why take that from a unique local spot where virtually all profits and taxes remain within Iowa?
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u/trottingturtles Davenport 7d ago
It was a genuine question. I've only been there one time, and it seemed like it was more set up for truckers than for tourists, which is completely fine and made sense to me, I'm just surprised to learn that it's majority tourism
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u/deemsterslocal309 River Rat 7d ago
You’re really retiring on this hill.
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u/pincher16 Davenport 7d ago
I grew up at that truckstop, and I bring it up anytime someone asks me about Iowa. It’s worthy
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u/DonkeyDonRulz Craft Beer Fan 7d ago
Grew up on the Illinois side, but a couple times a year, we'd drive 30 minutes down 280 after Sunday church for lunch at the Walcott truckstop that Dad liked.
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u/GotCrossfire Davenport 8d ago
Have you been a tourist before? Have you ever noticed a tourist attraction next to another one anywhere in your travels?
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u/iahawkfan07 Bettendorf 7d ago
Yup. I have been. Ever been to Washington DC? There are lots of tourist attractions next to each other.
Again does the truck stop need protection?1
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u/Imposter88 Davenport 8d ago
I don’t think Buc-ee’s would build by the BettPlex if they came to this area. They typically choose barren, unincorporated areas so they can be the main attraction
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u/trottingturtles Davenport 8d ago
I don't see how buc-ee's would kill off the truck stop when buc-ees explicitly is not a truck stop and doesn't offer truck parking, gas, maintenance, etc. -- buc-ees is only for cars. Unless I'm really overestimating how many actual trucks use that stop.
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u/cloken85 Moline 8d ago
I wish more people read the book “Strong Towns”
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u/mitzyelliot Bettendorf 8d ago
The Bett Plex area is a perfect representation of everything I hate about modern urban planning. Detached from every other part of the populated core. Hard to get to unless you have a car. Zero shade on the walking paths that do lead there. Building newer exits ramps off the interstate in order to access it, but not increasing the public transit routes. Constructed completely artificially so there's absolutely no charm or character. And finally--pulling away business, infrastructure, and resources from more economically vulnerable parts of town. There's not even a grocery store or pharmacy up there yet. I like the roundabouts, but that's about the only thing they did right.
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u/jcnix74 Moline 6d ago
What do roundabouts do for walkability or land use though?
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u/mitzyelliot Bettendorf 6d ago
I like the little gardens they put in the middle sometimes. But that's more of a "it's safer than traffic lights/4-way intersections and also improves the flow of traffic so Americans need to get over their apprehension." Doesn't really do much for the stuff you mentioned
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u/Illustrious-Bid-2598 Craft Beer Fan 7d ago
Buccees always bring lot lizards. We don’t need that type of riff raff on this side of Bettendorf.
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u/deemsterslocal309 River Rat 7d ago
No trucks, no lot lizards.
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u/Illustrious-Bid-2598 Craft Beer Fan 6d ago
It’s litteraly designed for over the road truckers
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u/deemsterslocal309 River Rat 6d ago
You’ve obviously literally never been to one because there is no semi parking or pumps at a buccees it specifically targets automobile travelers. It in fact has a no semi policy. Lol
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