What's In Store: CEFCO, Love's, Parker's & Thorntons

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.

CEFCO Convenience Stores 

CEFCO Convenience Stores opened its fifth Florida panhandle store, located at 91 Beal Parkway in Fort Walton Beach. This latest opening represents the 27th, 5,500 square foot prototype location the retailer has opened over the past several years and the sixth in 2016. 

This latest generation store reflects the latest design, and offers customers a great shopping experience. The store incorporates a number of innovative enhancements made possible by an open, fresh design, with modern treatments, and upgraded finishes.

The location offers CEFCO's hot and cold "Fresh Eats" grab-n-go offerings, including its "Fresh Yo" self-service frozen yogurt concept. It also includes the company's fourth "Which Wich" quick-service restaurant location.

Cumberland Farms Inc.

Cumberland Farms welcomed guests a new convenience store in West Boylston, Mass. on Oct. 5. The new store includes 4,786 square feet of space, including an interior high-top bar counter, outdoor patio seating, six fueling pumps and 14 parking spaces. Offerings include pizza, mac and cheese bites, and chicken tenders; hot and cold beverages; and Cumberland Farms items like Chill Zone T-shirts, frisbees, pencils and keychains.

Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores

Love's Travel Stops opened three new locations on Sept. 15: in Meade, Kan.; Okmulgee, Okla.; and Lake, Miss. The Okmulgee store has Love's third IHOP Express restaurant.  

"One of our goals this year has been to provide more dining options in addition to the driver services and amenities Love's offers," said Greg Love, co-CEO of Love's. "Any time we can provide an area with a new restaurant option, such as IHOP Express, is an exciting opportunity. We look forward to serving Customers in new parts of Kansas, Oklahoma and Mississippi for a long time."

The Meade country store offers a Subway restaurant and two roller grills with hot food items. The Okmulgee travel stop features 59 truck-parking spaces and five showers. The Lake travel stop offers seven showers, 80 truck-parking spaces and Love's Truck Tire Care.

All three locations are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and offer fresh fruit and gourmet coffee. The travel stops have a wide variety of electronics, gift items, RFID cardless fueling, CAT scales and other driver services.

Parker's

Parker's celebrated the grand opening of its new retail store in Port Royal, S.C., with a ribbon cutting in September. The new store, which is the company's 45th location and the 11th in South Carolina, features a hot deli serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, including popular Parker's offerings prepared fresh on-site. Highlights include a full breakfast bar. The Port Royal store also includes eight fueling stations.

Stripes Convenience Stores

Stripes Convenience Stores opened its first location in Seguin, Texas. The retailer marked the occasion with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Nov. 4. The new Stripes Store has added more than 50 new jobs to the Seguin community.

The new Stripes Store features Laredo Taco Co., Sunoco Fuel, with 20 Sunoco-branded fuel dispenser options which include unleaded, super unleaded and diesel. This location also includes a dining area which seats 28 inside the restaurant and an outdoor patio with seating for 20 guests, a beer cooler, a fountain area for customers to customize their beverages with more than 1.2 billion possible fountain combinations, as well as almost 7,000 square feet of customer conveniences.

Thorntons Inc.

Thorntons Inc. cut the ribbon on a new store at in Waukegan, Ill. Foodservice items at the location include traditional roller grill items, hot breakfast sandwiches, chicken tenders, cheeseburgers and pepperonis pizza sticks. Everyday snacks include soft pretzels and mini corn dogs. The new hot food selections are in addition to fresh fruit, gourmet deli sandwiches, and yogurt parfaits.

The Waukegan location is also the 20th Thorntons to have Unleaded15 among its fuel offerings.

TravelCenters of America LLC

TravelCenters of America LLC, operator of the TA and Petro Stopping Centers travel center brands, held a grand reopening of its newest TA Truck Service facility at TA Candler, located on Interstate 40 in Candler, N.C.

The newly remodeled 5,00-square-foot truck service center includes four shop bays, two pits, three service trucks and is now open 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Repair services include preventive maintenance, tires, parts and service and RoadSquad roadside assistance, performed by expert technicians with ASE and TIA certifications.

TravelCenters' TA Restaurant Group also opened a new Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen at TA Matthews located on Interstate 55 in Matthews, Mo.

Guests can choose from any of the full menu options, including chicken and shrimp meals and sandwiches, in addition to signature side dishes, sauces and desserts. The restaurant dining room has seating for 62 people and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Matthews Popeyes is the 61st Popeyes restaurant operated by the TA Restaurant Group, and its third in Missouri.