A Not-So Typical C-Store
KINGSTON, N.C. -- Imagine a convenience store that resembles a book store more than a place for candy and pop.
Tat is what Frank Famularo, president of Mallard Oil Co., has created with Fuel Warehouse, which opened here yesterday.
According to The (N.C.) Free Press the store with a green exterior and silver roof has created a certain intrigue, distancing its image from traditional c-stores. "Convenience stores are all the same," Famularo told the newspaper. "The format didn't lend itself to change."
Fuel Warehouse doesn't fall into that trap. With its decor of red-orange floors and beige and green walls, the store carries a broad stock of beer and wine, in addition to the traditional fare. Moreover, the retail outlet features seating areas equipped with plugs and phone jacks, inviting customers to shop, stop for a coffee and check their email, Famularo said.
Famularo told the newspaper the idea for Fuel Warehouse's layout came as Mallard Oil was developing Grills and Fireplaces in another town. He said he noticed that gas stations did not vary much. Fuel Warehouse is located in a high-traffic section, not far from the company's Kinston headquarters in the state's eastern tier.
Tat is what Frank Famularo, president of Mallard Oil Co., has created with Fuel Warehouse, which opened here yesterday.
According to The (N.C.) Free Press the store with a green exterior and silver roof has created a certain intrigue, distancing its image from traditional c-stores. "Convenience stores are all the same," Famularo told the newspaper. "The format didn't lend itself to change."
Fuel Warehouse doesn't fall into that trap. With its decor of red-orange floors and beige and green walls, the store carries a broad stock of beer and wine, in addition to the traditional fare. Moreover, the retail outlet features seating areas equipped with plugs and phone jacks, inviting customers to shop, stop for a coffee and check their email, Famularo said.
Famularo told the newspaper the idea for Fuel Warehouse's layout came as Mallard Oil was developing Grills and Fireplaces in another town. He said he noticed that gas stations did not vary much. Fuel Warehouse is located in a high-traffic section, not far from the company's Kinston headquarters in the state's eastern tier.