Pride Stores Debuts Its Store of the Future

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The future of Pride stores has arrived.

The Massachusetts-based convenience store retailer introduced its store of the future with its newest location at 1110 Wilbraham Road in Springfield. According to CEO Robert Bolduc, the 4,500-square-foot c-store reflects what customers want, reported The Reminder.

With a greater food presence, the latest Pride store offers a number of items that are made fresh in the Pride Kitchen, including breakfast and lunch items. It also features a Subway, Chester's fried chicken and a pizza shop.

Tapping into the focus on foodservice, there is also a deli area and large cold beverage selection, while an electric charging station and gas pumps are at the forecourt.

Pride tried out the new store format with a Hadley, Mass., location, and replaced a small store at the Springfield location with a new one.

A year ago, Pride stores opened a new location at 757 Riverdale St. in West Springfield that represents the future of chain with Pride Kitchen. Bolduc called it "a restaurant within a convenience store," as Convenience Store News previously reported.

Bolduc's goal is to remodel as many of the existing 25 Pride Stores to meet the new standard. "We'd like to make them all like this," he noted.

"[Pride stores used to be] gas stations that sold food. Now they are food stores that sell gas," the CEO stated.

Over time, Pride has incrementally added features like delis, expanded coffee offerings and drive-thru windows to its stores. In 2017, it opened a $100,000 bakery to its Springfield headquarters that provides fresh-baked goods to Pride stores.

"This is the way the industry is going," Bolduc said, noting that c-stores are beginning to emphasize quality, ready-to-eat food over gasoline.

Springfield-based Pride Stores operates 25 locations throughout western Massachusetts.