Couple Drives 4 Hours to Get Engaged at Buc-ee's Grand Opening

Jason Schmit surprised Cherlyn Beatty with a proposal during the store's opening in Ohio.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 9:24pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of the Buc-ee's beaver mascot logo repeated in a tight grid pattern, utilizing flat, vibrant, and unnatural neon color palettes overlapping with heavy black photographic outlines to turn the iconic convenience store brand into modern pop art.The Buc-ee's beaver mascot becomes a pop art icon, capturing the celebratory spirit of the convenience store's grand opening in Ohio.Today in Dayton

A Pittsburgh couple drove nearly four hours to attend the grand opening of Ohio's first Buc-ee's location near Dayton, where Jason Schmit surprised his girlfriend Cherlyn Beatty with a marriage proposal. The couple, who met while working at a haunted house, plan to incorporate Buc-ee's memorabilia into their upcoming wedding next September.

Why it matters

The surprise proposal at a Buc-ee's grand opening highlights the growing popularity and cultural significance of the Texas-based convenience store chain as it expands across the Midwest. The heartwarming story also showcases how major retail events can become meaningful backdrops for personal milestones.

The details

During the Buc-ee's grand opening on Monday, Jason Schmit got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend Cherlyn Beatty in front of the crowd. 'He was like, 'Will you?' And then I screamed. And then he put the ring on my finger, and we hugged,' Beatty recounted. Schmit admitted he was a bit nervous, saying 'I was pretty sure she was going to say yes, but there was always a little bit of doubt, you know?'

  • The Buc-ee's grand opening took place on Monday, April 10, 2026.
  • Schmit and Beatty plan to get married next September at the Renaissance Fair in Ohio, which is just an hour away from the new Buc-ee's location.

The players

Jason Schmit

A Pittsburgh resident who surprised his girlfriend with a marriage proposal during the grand opening of Ohio's first Buc-ee's location.

Cherlyn Beatty

Schmit's girlfriend, who he proposed to during the Buc-ee's grand opening in Ohio.

Buc-ee's

A Texas-based convenience store chain that is rapidly expanding across the Midwest, with its first Ohio location opening in Dayton.

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What they’re saying

“'He was like, 'Will you?' And then I screamed. And then he put the ring on my finger, and we hugged.'”

— Cherlyn Beatty

“'I was pretty sure she was going to say yes, but there was always a little bit of doubt, you know?'”

— Jason Schmit

What’s next

The couple plans to incorporate Buc-ee's memorabilia, such as Beaver Nuggets and mini 5-gallon buckets, into their upcoming wedding next September at the Renaissance Fair in Ohio, which is just an hour away from the new Buc-ee's location.

The takeaway

The surprise proposal at a Buc-ee's grand opening demonstrates how major retail events can become meaningful backdrops for personal milestones, highlighting the growing cultural significance of the Texas-based convenience store chain as it expands across the Midwest.