What's In Store: ARKO Corp., Buc-ee's & CBH Co-op

ARKO Corp.

Handy Mart, a subsidiary of ARKO Corp., broke ground on a new-to-industry location at 2934 Highway 24 in Newport, N.C. The store is scheduled to open later this year. 

"We have been very happy with the performance of our Handy Mart stores, which we acquired in November of 2021, and our ability to improve performance at those stores," said Arie Kotler, ARKO president and CEO. "Building upon the strong community ties of the Handy Mart brand in North Carolina, we are very excited to … showcase many of our new initiatives and offerings in a beautiful and inviting store design."

The Newport site will come in at 5,600 square feet and feature bean-to-cup hot and iced coffee, Frazil frozen drinks, doughnuts, cookies, breakfast sandwiches, Nathan's hot dogs, Tornados, fried chicken, cheeseburgers, mozzarella sticks and chicken wings, alongside $4.99 pizzas and $2.99 Tyson chicken sandwiches for fas REWARDS loyalty members.

The new convenience store will also has 30 parking spaces, 12 fueling positions, two auto diesel dispensers with four diesel fueling positions and two truck fueling lanes. Inside, it will boast have 14 doors for cold packaged beverages, 24 fountainheads and a walk-in beer cave.   

Buc-ee's

Locals in West Tennessee will soon be getting their own Buc-ee's location, according to reports from Fox 17 in Nashville. 

The Texas-based convenience store and gas station is planning to open a new site in Fayette County, Tenn., off Interstate 40 at Exit 28 in Gallaway. The 74,000-square-foot travel center is set to have 120 fueling positions and 71 bathrooms.

"Another great economic and commercial achievement for our District!" State Sen. Page Walley (R-Savannah) welcomed the retailer to the region in a Facebook post stated.

CBH Co-op

Member-owned CBH Co-op acquired Elkhorn Ridge Travel Center in Spearfish, S.D., located just off Exit 17. 

"We're very excited about welcoming Elkhorn Ridge Travel Center into the CBH Co-op family," said Todd Reif, CBH CEO. "This is all about making life easier for our amazing community. We can't wait to show you all the stuff we've got planned."

The travel center has been a community staple for the past seven years. Upgrades with the move include a spruced up fuel station and more choices on the convenience store shelves. The Elkhorn Ridge team will also stay on board, alongside new hires. 

Dash In

Dash In, a Wills Group company, opened a new location in Charles County, Md. It is the second c-store to feature the retailer's reimagined convenience concept, an elevated customer experience and new branding.

[Read more: Dash In's Mobile App Honored for Digital Excellence]

The 4,800-square-foot location at 5105 Indian Head Highway in Indian Head, Md., offers a foodservice menu featuring specialty burgers, chips and baked goods made fresh on-site; fueling stations; and an In-Bay Automatic Splash In ECO Car Wash with air and vacuum services.

The store environment includes natural wood exterior finishes, polished concrete floors and line of sight throughout the store. Guests can place their orders at kiosks and take advantage of a new indoor seating area, while a dedicated Dash In concierge will be available to focus on customers. needs.

As part of the opening and illustrating its dedication to the surrounding community, Wills Group has invested more than $50,000 in locally owned Oasis Fresh Food Market, its community garden initiative and signature programs, Nourishing Children and Families and Reimagining Outdoor Spaces.

Enmarket

Enmarket celebrated the grand opening of its 131st store in the Southeast region of hte United States. 

Located at 10 Eisenhower Drive in Savannah, Ga., off the intersection of White Bluff Road, the newly constructed store spans 6,098 square feet and features an Enmarket Eatery offering a Southern-inspired menu featuring breakfast burritos and platters, lunch specials and made-fresh fried chicken.

At the grand opening celebration, community members enjoyed a product samplings from the Eatery, including pizza, chicken tenders, macaroni and cheese and Mooz Yogurt, while vendor partners like Coke, Pepsi, Gatorade, Frito-Lay, Red Bull, Prime Hydration and Alani Nu shared free products. 

Customers also had the opportunity to spin the Enjoy Rewards wheel for chances to win fuel discounts, food discounts, free car washes and extra entries for door prizes.

The site employs 25 individuals, boasts a 12-pump canopy offering multiple fuel grades and includes a Marketwash, Enmarket's in-bay carwash brand. The retailer also worked to maintain the environmental integrity of the location, including the preservation of a 300-year-old live oak tree on the property. 

Royal Farms

Royal Farms will be opening up two new locations to the public in May, one in Lumberton, N.C., and the other in Martinsburg, W.Va.

The Lumberton location is situated at 2744 N. Roberts Ave., just nine minutes away from Luther Britt Park. The Martinsburg store is located at 105 Weis Ave. and is convenient to several area attractions, including the Big Apple Time Capsule and the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Both sites will feature gas stations with 16 fueling positions and operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The stores will additionally include the chain's signature freshly prepared fried chicken and made-to-order sandwiches, alongside an array of breakfast options.

As part of the grand opening celebrations, Royal Farms plans to support two local nonprofit organizations, making monetary donations to Robeson County Partnership for Children Inc., which helps provide quality activities and resources for children under the age of five, and to the Berkeley County Meals on Wheels program, which provides hot low-cost meals for homebound, disabled and convalescing residents. 

Thorntons

In February, Thorntons hosted the grand opening of its newest Chicagoland store, while in March, the c-store retailer broke ground on its new site in Markham, Ill.

[Read more: bp Honors Thorntons Legacy & Community Ties]

The recently opened location at 823 West Lake Street in Hanover Park is the company's 92nd location in Illinois. The 5,500-square-foot facility sits on 6.02 acres. Amenities include self-checkout kiosks; LED lighting; freshly made burritos and sandwiches prepared in the store's onsite kitchen; and a variety of beverages and bean-to-cup coffee. The forecourt has 20 auto fueling positions and four diesel lanes

The opening celebration included music, games and gift card giveaways to guests who entered the store, with one lucky customer winning a $1,000 gift card. Thorntons leadership also presented a $2,500 donation to the Northern Illinois Food Bank.  

When completed, the planned Markham location is set to be 5,500 square feet on a 3.17-acre lot and will feature similar amenities to the Hanover Park store, including self-checkout kiosks, LED lighting, fresh foodservice offerings, 16 auto fueling positions and two diesel lanes. The location will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.