2025 Outstanding Independents Awards Winner: The PRIDE Stores

Headquarters: Warrenville, Ill. 
No. of Stores: 17 

Offering more than typical convenience products and services, The PRIDE Stores represent "the next level of consumer experience in the convenience store industry," according to its nominator, and are "a destination if you are looking to pick up your Amazon orders, grab a hand-pressed burger or purchase a fine bottle of wine on your way home."

Serving the Chicagoland area for more than 30 years, the now 17-store chain is the retail division of Parent Petroleum Co., owned by Mario Spina. The company decided to call its stores "The PRIDE" to emphasize the fact that it takes great pride in its locations. 

Along with providing stores that are bright, friendly and clean, The PRIDE Stores operate three proprietary restaurant concepts: The PRIDE Café, which features comfortable booth and table seating; Urban Counter, an American fare restaurant that offers made-to-order burgers, salads, shakes and more; and Taco Urbano, which serves up made-to-order tacos, tortas, burritos, sopes and more. Each menu is crafted with the highest-quality ingredients. 

What makes The PRIDE Stores even more unique in a large market like Chicago, though, is its diverse offerings, including its own craft brewery, its nominator noted. Located at The PRIDE of Saint Charles location, 93 Octane Brewery serves innovative beers in its tap room and has a full kitchen. Along with the brewery, this site also includes a convenience store, fuel station, car wash and The PRIDE Beer & Wine Plus Spirits Liquor Store, which stocks 500-plus spirit brands, 300-plus wine brands and 200-plus varieties of craft beer. 

To further support its customers and the communities in which it operates, The PRIDE Stores partners with the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation and Folds of Honor, among other organizations, and provides savings through its PRIDE Points loyalty program.