Parker's Kitchen in Augusta, Ga.
Parker's Kitchen
Parker's Kitchen hosted an official ribbon cutting for the first Parker's Kitchen in Augusta, Ga. Local dignitaries in attendance included Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson, Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Sue Parr, and Columbia County Chamber President and CEO Russell Lahodny.
Strategically positioned at 3661 Mike Padgett Highway at the intersection of the highway and Tobacco Road, the Augusta store features the c-store operator's Southern-style, made-from-scratch menu, as well as indoor dining, popular grab-and-go food options and a hot bar with electronic kiosk ordering. The entire Parker's Kitchen menu is handcrafted on-site by local chefs.
"Augusta is on the rise and is an exciting place to be," said Parker's Kitchen founder and CEO Greg Parker. "We're incredibly honored to be part of the community and have received an incredible response from customers in the Augusta area."
Additional highlights include bean-to-cup gourmet coffee, freshly brewed sweetened and unsweetened tea, Fancy Lemonade, 28-degree beer and a wide range of fountain drinks. The new store also offers 19 fuel dispensers with regular, mid-grade, premium, diesel, ethanol-free, truck diesel and DEF fuel.
Every new-to-industry store provides 25 to 30 jobs for local residents, while each build employs 75 to 85 contractors in the metro Augusta area.
Royal Farms
Royal Farms will be opening three new locations in North Carolina throughout July, including stores at 4530 U.S. 13 in Greenville; 34 U.S. Route 64 West in Plymouth; and 214 U.S. 13 in Windsor.
"We are excited to strengthen our footprint in North Carolina with the addition of these three new stores," said Kim Kneipp, district leader at Royal Farms. "Our goal is to bring more convenience, high-quality food options, and exceptional service to the communities of Greenville, Plymouth and Windsor. We are excited to become a bigger part of these communities and look forward to serving our new neighbors."
Each new location will be open 24 hours, 365 days a year and will feature Royal Farms' fried chicken, fresh coffee, prepared food, convenience items and fuel. The Greenville location will also include a car wash.
[Read more: Royal Farms Goes Undercover for Chickenpalooza]
To celebrate the grand openings, Royal Farms will host a ticketed soft opening event at each new location where customers can check out the new store and receive one free meal from the soft opening menu.
Visalia Travel Center
The Visalia Travel Center recently added Wetzel's Pretzels to its growing food court lineup, which complements existing eateries at the facility, including Porta Subs and Sbarro.
Sam Sabbah will own and operate the Wetzel's location while spearheading the development of the travel center itself alongside his family.
"The debut of this Wetzel's location signifies a pivotal moment for my family and me," Sabbah said. "Incorporating Wetzel's into our travel center was an obvious choice, and its delectable menu offerings are certain to entice travelers to stop in for a sweet or savory treat. I am confident that our local community will embrace the new center as a dependable rest stop, no matter where their travels take them."
Located at 6610 Betty Drive in Visalia, Calif., the site has space for more than 60 semi-trucks and Tesla charging stations. Amenities like sleep pods and showers cater to long-haul drivers.
As the brand celebrates its 30th anniversary, Wetzel's is strategically positioned for another monumental year with a concentrated effort on expansion, the company stated. In addition to convenience stores, Wetzel's will tap into other locations where consumers are looking for a hot, fresh snack that's portable and convenient, and where this is optimal foot traffic to support the business. This includes growing its food truck fleet, as well as its presence in Walmart and Macy's stores, airports and traditional mall locations.
"It's operators like Sam who allow us to grow our brand across the nation," said Jon Fischer, head of development at Wetzel's. "We're always looking for passionate individuals or groups who want to develop alongside the brand and bring Wetzel's into new locations. We're confident Sam will make a positive mark to travelers along the Highway 99 corridor and we are excited to witness his impact on this monumental community project."