PHOTO GALLERY: What's In Store — May 2021
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.
CEFCO Convenience Stores
CEFCO Convenience Stores opened its newest store in Paris, Texas, in early April. The c-store measures 7,625-square-feet and sits on nearly 7.5 acres. It features 16 fueling positions, which include ethanol-free fuel and four truck diesel lanes. It also has 11 truck parking spaces and 29 standard parking spaces.
Inside, customers will find hot and cold food items, including Fresh Yo self-service frozen yogurt, breakfast sandwiches, CEFCO Kitchen made-to-order burritos, and other CEFCO Kitchen food offerings.
This store also features a lounge and a shower to accommodate travelers. This is CEFCO's fifth location in Paris and is open 24 hours a day.
"We are excited to open another one of our new large format stores in the Paris market and we are pleased to introduce our second CEFCO Kitchen store for the many travelers, truck drivers, and families to enjoy," said Dana Crick, regional vice president of operations. "We are glad to be in this market and bring such a new look and offering to the customers of Paris. The Paris community has been so supportive of our growth and we appreciate that and look forward to an even greater relationship within this beautiful city."
Enmarket
Enmarket opened its first convenience store in Jesup, Ga., on April 23. The store is the chain's 129th location and second new-to-market store opening this calendar year. It is the fourth store built with Enmarket's latest prototype model, a standardized design which makes it possible for the fast-growing chain to put new stores into service quickly.
"We are excited to bring Jesup and Wayne County the quality and convenience we've been providing elsewhere throughout coastal Georgia and South Carolina," said Enmarket President and CEO Brett Giesick. "The new store will offer a full array of fuel options, our Eatery with freshly prepared food for all three dayparts, Mooz frozen yogurt, and the convenience of paying at the pump or scan-and-go inside with the new Enmarket app."
Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores
In April, Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores opened locations in Mobile, Ala., and Sandersville, Miss.
The Mobile travel stop measures more than 15,000 square feet and adds 109 truck parking spaces to Love's network. It features a Bojangles restaurant, 92 car parking spaces, eight RV parking spaces, nine diesel bays, seven showers, laundry facilities, a Speedco, a Fresh Kitchen concept, and a dog park.
The Sandersville travel stop measures more than 11,000 square feet and adds 93 truck parking spaces to Love's network. It features a McDonald's, 63 car parking spaces, eight diesel bays, five showers, laundry facilities, a Speedco, and a dog park.
Love's also opened a tire retread plant and distribution center in Mooresville, Ind. The new 200,000-square-foot facility was relocated from Plainfield, Ind., to increase capacity to better serve customers.
The travel center operator has six plants across the country and is in the process of further expanding its retread plant and distribution center capacity to increase the company's commitment to ensuring customer success now and into the future.
"The new facility in Mooresville is double the size of our previous plant and allows us to provide greater coverage to our valuable customers," said Steve Phillips, director of tire sales and plant operations for Love's. "This location is close to several interstates and is a great location to provide the best service, value and products that help get our customers back on the road quickly and safely."
In addition, the company added six Speedco locations to its network. They are located at:
- 17110 Brandy Branch Road, Jacksonville, Fla.
- 775 American Road, Napoleon, Ohio
- 680 US Highway 30, Bliss, Idaho
- 1385 8th Ave. SW, Valley City, N.D.
- 1126 County Highway 35, Hamilton, Ala.
- 23733 West Bluff Road, Channahon, Ill.
RaceTrac Petroleum Inc.
RaceTrac welcomed customers at its third travel center, located in Davenport, Fla. The retailer's two other travel centers are in Forest Park and Lithia Springs, Ga.
The Davenport Travel Center features an 8,100-square-foot store, featuring 600 square feet of patio space with covered and uncovered seating, 36 truck parking spaces, 16 front-canopy fueling stations, an extended canopy with seven lanes for high-flow diesel with bulk diesel exhaust fluid, and free WiFi.
Inside, customers will find a variety of foodservice offerings, including grab-and-go pizza and sandwiches, fried chicken, whole and cut fruit and salads, RaceTrac's Swirl World frozen treat station, six blends of freshly brewed coffee, and traditional roller grill items.
7-Eleven Inc.
7-Eleven opened a new Evolution Store in Prosper, Texas. Located in Collin County, the store, which features a Laredo Taco Co., is the first North Texas-area Evolution Store outside of Dallas County.
While all Evolution Stores include a restaurant concept, no two locations are exactly alike as the retailer continues to tweak the design and product mix based on customer feedback and shopping habits. The most popular features, however, have become staples that knowing customers seek out, according to 7-Eleven.
In addition to the Laredo Taco Co. taqueria, the Prosper 7-Eleven Evolution Store offers an assortment of exclusive products, services and features customized to the neighborhood and customers' needs. The most popular features include self-serve specialty espresso coffee drinks, on-tap novelty beverages, cookies and croissants baked fresh in store, a wide selection of national brand skincare and makeup items, and the Wine Cellar and Beer Cooler, dedicated to an enhanced and expansive selection of wine and beer.
As a beverage destination, artisan craft sodas are a new feature, with flavors such as ginger beer, black cherry, pineapple coconut, diet key lime, and diet cherry vanilla. Sparkling and still water flavors include lemon ginger, strawberry rose, coconut lime, cucumber mint, and mango.
The new store is one of a growing number to offer mobile checkout and delivery. With the 7Rewards loyalty program, in-store customers can skip the checkout counter and pay for their purchases on their phone.
7-Eleven also welcomed customers at its first mall location on Long Island, N.Y. The Westfield South Shore c-store measures 1,690 square feet and is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. It offers 7-Eleven's expanded hot and cold beverages.
TravelCenters of America Inc.
TravelCenters of America Inc. is expanding its network with a new TA Express in Osseo, Wis. The former Osseo Truck Stop is converting to a TA Express through a franchise agreement and is the first TA Express to open in Wisconsin.
The travel center is located along a high-volume corridor on I-94 between Madison, Wis., and Minneapolis, and is TA's sixth location in Wisconsin.
"TA is committed to expanding our network to serve more travelers who need a trusted place to stop and rest," said Barry Richards, president of TA. "Our smaller format TA Express model offers a quick, clean and convenient option for motorists, while providing professional drivers with the services they need and trust while on the road."
The TA Express will feature a Hunts Brothers Pizza, Osseo Family Restaurant and an on-site deli. In addition to a convenience store, the site offers six private showers, laundry facilities, eight diesel fueling positions with DEF on all lanes, eight gasoline fueling lanes, 125 truck parking spaces, and 100 car parking spaces.
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