Stewart's Shops, 7-Eleven Stores Closing

NEW YORK -- One regional convenience chain -- Stewart's Shops of Saratoga Springs, N.Y. -- and a national convenience chain -- Dallas-based 7-Eleven Inc. -- garnered the attention of local media when they announced individual store closings.

In Rutland, Vt., Stewart's Shops decided to close its downtown location at the corner of West and Wales streets on Dec. 2, as its sales were underperforming compared to the rest of the chain, the Vermont-based Rutland Herald reported.

"We've got several stores in the area and this one has caused us particular problems for quite some time," Nancy Trimbur, senior vice president at Stewart's Shops, told the paper, adding that despite its track record for turning around stores, the store never met the company’s expectations.

In addition, the location of the store on a small lot at the corner of a one-way street made in- and out-going traffic difficult, especially from the single gas island, she added.

"We generally do not close stores so this is somewhat unusual for us," she said.

Trimbur told the paper neither the local neighborhood nor a previous leak in the underground storage tank were factors in the decision to close the store. Stewart's, which boasts more than 300 locations, acquired the property in 1994 when it purchased the Bonfaire chain of c-stores, the report stated.

On Dec. 10, the company will remove the underground storage tanks, the report stated.

Rutland customers can visit three other Stewart's Shops at Grove and State streets; Strongs Avenue and South Main Street; and Woodstock Avenue, according to the report.

The 10 employees at the closing station will be transferred to other Rutland stores, she told the paper, and the company will sell or lease the property.

Meanwhile, the 7-Eleven convenience store at 1717 Walnut St. in Boulder, Colo., was expected to have its last day of business yesterday, after its lease expired and the building that houses the c-store was sold earlier this month, the Colorado-based Daily Camera reported.

The building that houses the convenience store and another retailer was bought by Boulder, Colo.-based Morgan Creek Ventures on Nov. 14 for $3 million. Morgan Creek partner, Andy Bush, told the paper the purchase is a "logical additional piece" to additional projects, including its redevelopment of 1655 Walnut St. in Boulder, Colo.

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