What's In Store: Buc-ee's, Mission Market & Stewart's Shops

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.

Buc-ee's

Buc-ee's continues to expand its reach, opening its first location in Fort Worth, Texas. The store is near Texas Motor Speedway at Interstate 35W and Highway 114. The new Buc-ee's is roughly 60,000 square feet and features 104 gas pumps. It employs more than 200 people.

The first North Texas Buc-ee's location opened in Terrell around this same time last year. More new stores are planned for Denton and Royse City.

Mission Market

Progressive Convenience Inc. opened its third location, a Mission Market convenience store, in downtown Los Angeles in mid-April. The 1,770 square-foot store, on Broadway in L.A.'s Theater District, is on the ground floor of the historic, circa-1924 Broadway-Spring Arcade Building. It offers a full range of convenience and grocery products, including a selection of fresh grab-and-go food products.  

In addition to its signature sandwiches — made just for Mission Market by a local bakery — the new store debuts a line of dinner-style entrees — fresh, heat-and-eat items like beef tenderloin with cauliflower and Alaskan salmon with brown rice. 

Mission Market is partnering with delivery apps Postmates and Door Dash in the Los Angeles area, and will offer more than 1,500 products for delivery within one hour, at the same price as in-store, with no minimum order and only a small delivery fee. 

The newest store will also offer the only Bitcoin ATM in Los Angeles County that allows customers to both buy and sell bitcoin using U.S. dollars.  

Pilot Flying J 

Pilot Flying J cut the ribbon on a Flying J Travel Plaza in Pasadena, Texas, on May 24. The new facility at 1305 Pasadena Freeway is the company's 66th location in Texas.

This Flying J Travel Plaza offers 12 fueling positions and eight diesel lanes with high-speed pumps for quicker refueling. Food choices include Arby's, Cinnabon, Auntie Anne's and PJ Fresh, Pilot Flying J's own line of fast-casual food offerings like pizza, soups, salads, sandwiches and hot dogs.

Stewart's Shops

Stewart's Shops opened its second location in Onondaga County, N.Y., on June 1, with a grand-opening celebration for the store in Baldwinsville held June 10.

Stewart's first entered the Syracuse market with its store at Buckley and Morgan Road in Clay in the fall of 2014. The chain will continue to expand its area presence with a third location anticipated to open in late summer. This store, which will rise in Clay, was approved by the planning board in May.

Thorntons Inc.

On June 10, Thorntons cut the ribbon on its newest convenience store in Blue Island, Ill. The store reflects the chain's focus on foodservice, offering hot breakfast sandwiches and lunch offerings, such as pepperoni pizza sticks, cheeseburgers and crispy chicken tenders.

The hot food selections are in addition to fresh fruit, gourmet deli sandwiches and yogurt parfaits. During the first 10 days after opening, Thorntons is sampling the fresh, hot food items from the store's kitchen. 

Thorntons also recently introduced Unleaded15, its branded E15 fueling option, to guests in its Chicago area market. 

TravelCenters of America LLC 

TravelCenters of America completed construction of a TA Travel Center at I-75, Exit 141 in Caryville, Tenn. Since early this year, the location has undergone extensive remodeling and changes to make it a full-service travel center. 

Now among the amenities at TA Caryville are a five-bay truck service center; an expanded truck parking lot with 80 truck parking spaces; six diesel lanes; a driver lounge including laptop desks and DirecTV; laundry facility; eight driver showers; and a free StayFit fitness room.

The remodeled location also features a Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen quick-service restaurant that seats 58 guests, and a Minit Mart travel store. 

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