PHOTO GALLERY: What's In Store — January 2022
NATIONAL REPORT — The convenience store industry landscape is constantly changing as chains open and close stores each week. On a regular basis, Convenience Store News highlights these comings and goings in this special roundup.
The Goods Mart
The Goods Mart opened its second location at Rockefeller Center in late November. The Goods 30 Rock offers better-for-you snacks, drinks and everyday products with a focus on female and minority owned brands. It also features products from Los Angeles' Michelin-acknowledged Burritos La Palma.
One hundred percent of the tips go to a rotating monthly non-profit. In addition, customers can take part in "Taste & Tell," an in-store survey system through which customers can fill out a quick survey to provide essential feedback to help small brands grow and get that product for free in exchange.
Founder Rachel Krupa opened The Goods Mart in 2018 with a mission to introduce the community to better-for-you, better-for-the-planet products. The Goods Mart has grown into a convenience store for a new generation and serves as a showcase for emerging, primarily female-, BIPOC-, and LGBTQ+ founded brands, while offering consumers better-for-you, socially conscious products.
Love's Travel Stops
Texas and Illinois have two more Love's Travel Stops following the opening of locations in Winona, Texas, and Mount Vernon, Ill. The sites combined add more than 200 truck parking spaces and 120 jobs to the communities.
The Winona travel stop measures more than 12,000 square feet and includes 113 truck parking spaces, 86 car parking spaces and 25 RV spaces. The site also features: a Godfather's Pizza and a Subway, eight diesel bays, eight showers, laundry facilities, CAT scale, a Fresh Kitchen concept, a Mobile to Go Zone, and a dog park.
A Speedco will join the site at a future date.
The Mount Vernon location measures more than 13,000 square feet and includes 99 truck parking spaces, 87 car parking spaces and three RV spaces. It features seven diesel bays, eight showers, laundry facilities, a CAT scale, a Fresh Kitchen concept, a Mobile to go Zone, and a dog park.
A Bojangles will join the site at a future date.
Pilot Co.
A Pilot Travel Center in LaPlace, La., celebrated its grand re-opening following the destruction and severe flooding caused by Hurricane Ida. The newly remodeled Pilot Travel Center features a fully modernized facility with enhanced amenities for professional truck drivers, area residents and the traveling public.
"It’s been a long road to recovery for the community of LaPlace over these past few months since Hurricane Ida, but this community and our team members continue to demonstrate their resiliency," said Jason Nordin, chief operator of Pilot Co. "Knowing the importance of bringing back essential services to the area, we worked to restore fueling and store operations as swiftly as possible until we could fully remodel the store. It's an honor to celebrate this grand re-opening with the community of LaPlace and to make a contribution to the local school district."
The renovated Pilot Travel Center at 4301 South Main Street includes several upgrades and offers many amenities, including:
- 12 gasoline fueling positions and 10 diesel lanes with high-speed pumps;
- Grab-and-go food offerings including roller grills, nachos, and hot and cold packaged sandwiches and snacks;
- Subway;
- Dunkin' Donuts Express;
- Pilot's Best Gourmet Coffees, including bean-to-cup selections and cold brew;
- Eight showers;
- 113 truck parking spots;
- A driver's lounge; and
- Public laundry.
The travel center also boasts an updated interior, expanded beverage selection and upgraded technology for faster check-outs.
Sheetz Inc.
Sheetz continues its expansion into the Columbus, Ohio, market with its first convenience store in Reynoldsburg. The store, which features the retailer's well-known grab-and-go foodservice program, welcomed customers on Dec. 14.
The Reynoldsburg location is the 13th Sheetz store in the area.
Stewart's Shops
Stewart's Shops marked its first grand opening of 2022 in Colonie, N.Y., on Jan. 17. Boasting a large footprint, the location offers a spacious food bar, a beer cave, and an ice cream counter. The store also features inside and outside seating.
In all, Stewart's plans to open 20 new shops — 13 rebuilds and seven new-to-industry locations.
Thorntons
Thorntons began ringing up customers at a new Murfreesboro, Tenn., convenience store on Dec. 17. It is the third Thorntons in the town and the 17th in Tennessee.
The Thorntons is one of the first stores to be constructed in a planned development along New Salem Highway. It sits on two acres and is 4,400 square feet. There are 10 fueling dispensers offering three grades of gasoline, diesel and ethanol blends beneath a customized fuel canopy.
Additional features include self-checkout, LED lighting, freshly made burritos and sandwiches prepared throughout the day in the store's onsite kitchen, and a variety of beverages, including fresh bean-to-cup coffee and ice-cold fountain beverages with nugget ice.
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