Love's Details 2025 Growth Strategies
OKLAHOMA CITY — Coming off the celebration of its 60th year in business, Love's Travel Stops enters 2025 with a strategic focus on growth, network enhancements and innovation.
The strategy, according to Shane Wharton, president of Love's, will strengthen the company's position as the premier one-stop-shop for professional truck drivers and four-wheel, RV and electric vehicle (EV) customers.
"As we enter the new year, we're committed to continuing to enhance the customer experience for all," he said during an exclusive call with media on Jan. 22. "This year, we're excited to introduce new and updated locations, innovative food and drinks, and continued improvement of the services and amenities we offer. With our continued focus on the evolving needs of customers, we're confident we'll provide an even better experience across our network in 2025."
Network Expansion Plans
On the agenda for the year ahead, Love's will continue to grow and refresh its nationwide network of locations. This year, the company plans to start construction on 20 new stores and begin updating 50 existing locations under its Strategic Remodel Initiative (SRI). Launched in 2022, the SRI identifies which sites will be updated based on foot traffic, sales and store age.
As part of the SRI, the company will raze and rebuild a EZ GO turnpike location in Stroud, Okla. — the first of the turnpike locations that Love's acquired in 2023 to be remodeled.
Stores undergoing updates will remain open during the remodeling process.
With new locations and SRI efforts this year, more than half of Love's 655 locations will be newly constructed or remodeled by 2035, Wharton reported.
Focus on Food & Beverage
Investing in the culinary space to make every stop more inviting, Love's will continue to expand its Fresh Kitchen program through a new Culinary Innovation Center. Led by Greg Ekman, the company's first director of fresh kitchen strategy and growth, the center will be used to develop and test food offerings including tacos, salads, sandwiches and snack trays.
Love's will also grow its line of branded items. New consumables to be introduced this year will include fresh juice options, candy and flavored popcorn. The company will also enhance its line of Traverse Travel Gear products, which are available in 450 Love's stores across the country.
"We've seen a lot of success with our private label options and we're continuing to grow that. We're working to optimize our supply chain to make sure we have efficiency and sustainability to support it," Wharton said.
Speaking to quick meal solutions, Love's remains one of the largest operators in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) space, with 19 concepts that are owned or leased. Between the two, the company will open its 1,000 location this year.
Although he couldn't provide further details, Wharton said Love's is excited to introduce its 20th QSR concept this year with Whataburger. The San Antonio, Texas, chain is known for its hamburgers, and is something Love's anticipates will resonate with customers, he noted.
In the year ahead, all QSRs will continue to use technology to improve customer service. In 2024, using computer monitors to track key performance metrics in real-time — including greet times, order processing and the time it takes to hand off food — food delivery time was reduced by 14 seconds on average, Wharton shared.
Love's will continue to improve speed of service with the addition of order-ahead to the Love's Connect app at several locations, including more than 100 Arby's.
Meeting Professional Drivers' Needs
Love's remains committed to addressing the critical shortage of truck parking in the United States. In 2025, the company plans to add approximately 1,000 new truck parking spaces to its network, surpassing 50,000 spaces across the country. It will do so predominantly through new locations, but also as part of the SRI.
Additionally, Love's Truck Care, which the company has been growing "pretty aggressively" over the past few years, will optimize the products and services it offers, according to Wharton. This year, Love's will add 12 maintenance bays and six to 10 emergency roadside vehicles to the Love's Truck Care and Speedco network. Currently, there are 432 truck care locations nationwide.
Plans also call for more Love's Truck Washes locations. Added in 2023, these facilities are equipped with automated technology and provide the same quality as a hand wash but in half the time of other truck washes in the industry.
Currently, truck washes are available at 11 facilities, with anywhere from three to five being added in the year ahead, Wharton shared.
Advancements for RV Drivers
This year, Love's will surpass 100 locations with RV hookups by adding 83 hookups to 17 locations. Unique to Love's, customers can use the Love's Connect app to reserve a space, check in and turn on utilities.
"We're perfectly positioned to take care of this customer — an RV driver who needs a stop on the way to their final destination, something that's safe and clean, and has the amenities that they need," Wharton said.
Alternative Energy Solutions
In 2025, Love's will grow its network of EV charging stations through National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure grants. In 2024, the company was awarded $83 million for the installation of chargers in 13 states. This year, construction is expected to start on fast chargers at Love's locations in eight states: Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Given the company's footprint and position on highways, Wharton expects Love's will secure more grants in the future. "In fact, as we build new stores, we're being cognizant of in the future that we may add EV charging [to that site]. We're either adding it at the time we build a new store, or we're identifying areas that we would put it in the future as the demand picks up," he noted.
Switching from EV to hydrogen, Trillium, a member of the Love's Family of Companies, will bring a hydrogen station online in California this year, with more facilities scheduled to open in Pennsylvania. These sites, Wharton emphasized, are private.
Talent Acquisition
Love's knows providing the best experience possible starts with hiring and retaining top talent, Wharton commented. An area in particular that Love's will emphasize is hiring veterans. Last year, the company hired 250 veterans, and plans to increase that number by 10% in 2025. Love's also launched a hiring program for military spouses.
Another area of focus is enhancing growth opportunities for team members through the recently launched "Fuel Your Growth with Love's" program through Guild. The initiative offers free education opportunities ranging from GEDs to advanced degrees, and works with team members to help them align their goals with the right development plan.
Community Component
Corporate giving is a large focal point for Love's business, and the company focuses on giving back to the communities that it lives and works in. With corporate headquarters in Oklahoma City, the company continues to support United Way of Central Oklahoma. Last year, the company set a record, donating $634,000 to United Way for a cumulative $14 million.
Branching out of Oklahoma City, Children's Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals is another large campaign Love's supports. In 2024, the company set a record $9.5 million for a cumulative $60 million to CMN Hospitals.
Love's has been fueling customers' journeys since 1964. The family-owned and -operated business employs nearly 40,000 team members in North America and Europe. The company's core business is travel stops and convenience stores with 655 locations in 42 states.