Love's, Pilot Flying J Continue Busy Year of Store Openings

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. and KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores and Pilot Flying J have been busy with new store openings this year. Continuing that growth, both retailers opened two stores each today.

Love's opened new travel stops in Little Rock, Ark., and Dwight, Ill., according to a report by Trucking Info. In total, Love's has opened 23 travel stops and 46 truck tire care centers in 2011 thus far.

The new Little Rock Love's Travel Stop is located on Interstate 30. It includes Subway and Hardee's restaurants, 80 truck spaces and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) dispensers. Love's new Illinois travel center is located on Interstate 55. It includes a Hardee's, 90 truck spaces and DEF dispensers. Both locations also feature five showers, a game room and more.

"2011 was an exceptional year for Love's," said Tom Love, founder and CEO. "We will continue to grow throughout the country, offering accessible locations and the clean places and friendly faces Love's is known for."

Meanwhile at Pilot Flying J, the retailer added travel centers in Marion, Ill., and Nevada, Mo. The 8,542-square-foot Marion location provides eight fuel islands, DEF dispensers, biofuel at the pump, a Subway restaurant and more.

"We hope that Marion area residents and fleet customers will enjoy the convenience and amenities of our new Pilot Travel Center," Jimmy Haslam, Pilot president and CEO, said in a company news release. "The travel center will serve this community through products and services, as well as contribute to the local economy through jobs and tax revenues."

Pilot's new Nevada, Mo., travel center, located near U.S. Highway 71, spans 6,511 square feet. It delivers many of the features present at the Illinois location, and adds an expanded hot deli, fax and copy services, and more. Pilot now operates more than 550 travel centers and travel plazas in the United States and Canada.