From the Hub City to the Nation: The Sweet Success Story of Bahama Buck’s

What started as a small shaved ice stand on a dusty highway in Lubbock has turned into one of the sweetest success stories in the nation. Bahama Buck’s, founded in the Hub City in 1990, has grown into a nationwide chain known for its tropical flavors, island-inspired atmosphere, and loyal fan base. While locations now stretch across the United States, Lubbock locals still take pride in knowing it all began right here at home.

The Humble Beginnings of Bahama Buck’s in Lubbock

“Nothing works unless we do.”– Blake Buchanan, owner and founder of Bahama Bucks

As a young man, Blake Buchanan was willing to put in the work, mowing lawns since he was a young child. However, it was an ad in the Thrifty Nickel (remember those?)  that would change the course of his life forever. Finding shaved ice equipment for sale, he bought it, drew up plans for a shaved-ice shack, and began searching for funding and a place to land.

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In 1990, he would end up on dusty Brownfield Highway with a crew that was “cheek to cheek, butt to butt” dishing out delicious and fluffy shaved ice.

Building a Brand Around Shaved Ice and Island Vibes

One successful small business wasn’t the end of the Bahama Bucks Story. Buchannan would open two more locations in Arizona (a great place for shaved ice) and then began franchising his concept in 1993. Now, there are over 100 locations in the Southern U.S. and even a location in Puerto Rico.

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Bahama Bucks has shaved ice in many flavors, including sugar-free and extreme sour. My favorite has always been the berry flavors with cream. Or Jamaican Punch half-and-half with Passion Fruit. Or Toasted Coconut with Tiger’s Blood. Okay, I have a lot of favorites.

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In addition to shaved ice, Bahama Bucks offers amazing smoothies, acai bowls, and Red Bull Infusion drinks.  They are also the OGs of “dirty sodas” with endless flavor combinations.

It’s always island vibes at Bahama Buck’s, whether you’re in Florida, California or totally landlocked here in Lubbock. And at the ‘Bucks, it’s actually ok to eat the yellow Sno.

Why Lubbock Still Claims Bahama Buck’s as Its Own

We don’t let our Texas Tech alumni wander off into obscurity. We stay proud of our hometown heroes. And, lucky for Lubbock, the corporate headquarters for Bahama Bucks is still here. I drive by it nearly every day.

Bahama Bucks is a true Lubbock orginal, making the Hub City an “island” of sweet delight.

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Contact crafthousepub@gmail.com Nostalgic South Plains Mall Food Lubbock Folks Want Back ImmediatelyThe South Plains Mall has some amazing food options both inside and around the building. But that doesn’t keep us from missing some bygone places from when we were kids in the 70s, 80s, 90s or 2000s! Gallery Credit: Renee Raven https://unsplash.com/The Brittany The Brittany is so well-remembered and well-loved that there’s an active Facebook page about it. Burgers, a salad bar, sandwiches, and desserts- but the thing that made it really fun (especially for me as a small child) was calling my order in. There were big red phones at every table that would call the kitchen. Honestly, I think someone could bring this concept back and people would love it- if only for the nostalgia of using a corded phone. https://unsplash.com/Candy WrapperOh, how I loved the Candy Wrapper! Sure, it was expensive, but where else could you get giant gummy coke bottles? It was bright, fun and is totally missed. I even wrote an entire homage to it that you can read here.https://unsplash.com/The 2 Story McDonalds Everyone, my age especially, misses the two-story McDonald’s (even though the second story was frequently roped off). Lubbock is a pretty flat town, so it felt- is sophisticated the right word? It was fun for sure and felt like a mall Mcdonald’s in a bigger town. It was also great for a bite on a teen’s budget. Photo by Blake Guidry on UnsplashCorn Dog Heaven If I die and go to Corn Dog Heaven, well, that wouldn’t be too bad at all. The lemonade and the fried cheese WERE to die for. https://unsplash.com/Chelsea Street Pub I have heard TALES of Chelsea Street Pub, even though I was never of age to be there (although apparently, that wouldn’t have mattered from the stories y’all tell). Even though I missed the frozen daiquiris and Colorado bulldogs, I did reap the benefits of a superstar rising there- of course, I’m talking about the legendary karaoke host David Trout, who I did have the pleasure of getting to know during his tenure at Skooners. https://unsplash.com/Sbarro’s Sbarro’s had a unique layout- more deep than wide, making it unique in the mall. Pizza, spaghetti, and Strombolis were on the menu. I still crave that marinara sauce. Luckily, you can still get Sbarro’s on the Texas Tech campus. https://unsplash.com/That Boba Tea Place?No one seems to remember the name of the boba tea place, which I believe was the very first boba place in Lubbock. I think it may actually have been called “Boba Tea”. It was delicious and exciting. If you want boba now, there’s a Gong Cha inside the mall. https://unsplash.com/Frulatti I’ll be honest, I do not remember the Frulatti in the mall, but many other folks do. Frullati’s sells smoothies, grilled paninis, salads, and more. Sadly, the closest location is nearly 300 miles away. https://unsplash.com/Swiss Colony I think Swiss Colony was before my time, but I’ve heard multiple people rave about their pretzels and danishes. A bakery in the mall would be so lovely- imagine the delicious smell wafting through the walk-way! Luby’s Luby’s was THE place to have lunch or dinner with grandma for nearly anyone back in the day that had a grandma they ate lunch with. Even the ladies that worked there seemed to fit that down-home Texas theme. Lubbock has no Luby’s and no Furrs and I honestly wish that would change. https://unsplash.com/Mandarin ExpressI vaguely remember Mandarin Express. If I remember correctly they had really excellent eggrolls, which may be the only thing I ever ordered, not because they other food seemed less than excellent- I am just really, really into eggrolls. https://unsplash.com/WienerschintzelThere are still plenty of Wienerschintzel in Lubbock to satisfy your chili dog craving (or those mini corn dogs… my fav) but we miss having such inexpensive and easy (maybe a little messy eats) in the mall. https://unsplash.com/Poco Taco Poco Taco is another possible “before my time” place that I don’t recall but I know many Lubbockites miss it. From what I can gather, it was locally owned. And that’s really cool. tacovilla.comattachment-taco-villa-1;I really miss the Taco Villa in the mall. Sure, I eat at Taco Villa at least twice a week, but I miss the opportunity to indulge my cravings at the mall. Apparently, back in the day you could smoke there? That blows my mind- it was a different time for sure. https://unsplash.com/Potato Works Here’s another I don’t remember, but I sure love potatoes. One of you will have to sit me down sometime and tell me about the glory days of eating potatoes in the mall. https://unsplash.com/Hemphill-Wells Tea Room I don’t remember this at all, but a friend of mine did a deep dive (complete with archival footage). You can read all about this really remarkable department store/ tea room here.