What's In Store: Kum & Go, Love's, NOCO & Sheetz
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.
Circle K
Circle K unwrapped a newly remodeled store, located at 200 Columbia Ave., on Dec. 1. The retailer offered special pricing on fuel as part of the grand opening festivities as well as $1 specials on slices of pizza, hot dogs and medium coffee.
Cumberland Farms
Cumberland Farms held a grand opening celebration for a new c-store in Rotterdam, N.Y., on Nov. 30. The following day, the retailer cut the ribbon in a new location in Latham, N.Y. Both stores offered free dispensed beverages and hot food samples on their opening days, kicking of month-long fundraising programs for local organizations.
Kum & Go LC
Kum & Go closed out 2017 with a number of new store openings. The retailer threw open the doors on the following stores:
Ozark, Mo.: The c-store at 5552 N 21st Street welcomed its first customers on Dec. 7. It boasts an expansive beer cave.
Colorado Springs, Colo.: Kum & Go opened its 17th location in the metro area at 2410 N Academy Blvd. on Dec. 8.
Springfield, Mo.: Kum & Go's 47th store in the Springfield area at 3416 S National Ave. welcomed customers on Dec. 14. It features an expansive beer cave.
Williamsburg, Iowa: The more than 6,200-square-foot store at 2177 M Ave. features an expansive beer cave. It opened on Dec. 14.
Lebanon, Mo.: The latest Kum & Go store, located at 501 Cowan Drive, opened on Dec. 21.
The centerpiece of the latest Kum & Go convenience stores — which measure more than 6,200 square feet — is an expanded and open food preparation area that customers can see from the moment they enter. Other features include:
- Elevated food experience with Kum & Go's "Go Fresh Market"
- Open kitchen layout, clear aisles and easy-to-navigate zones
- Seating inside with heated patio seating outside
- Complimentary Wi-Fi and charging stations for customers
- Designed using energy efficient and sustainable design practices
Love's Travel Stops & Country Store
The retailer opened four new Love's Travel stops on Dec. 14. The locations, which add more than 350 truck parking spaces to interstates, are in Hope Hull, Ala.; Brush, Colo.; Bushnell, Fla.; and Bellville, Ohio.
The Hope Hull store features 85 truck parking spaces; Chester's Chicken, Godfather's Pizza and Subway restaurants; a game room; laundry capabilities; eight showers; and a Love's Truck Tire Care facility. The Brush travel stop offers 100 truck parking spaces, a Carl's Jr. restaurant, and five showers.
The Bushnell travel stop offers 99 truck parking spaces, an Arby's restaurant, a game room, laundry capabilities, seven showers, and a Love's Truck Tire Care center.
The Bellville Love's features 73 truck parking spaces; Subway and Taco John's restaurants; laundry capabilities; seven showers; and a Love's Truck Tire Care center.
The openings came one week after Love's turned a triple play, opening three travel stops on Dec. 7: Pine Bluff, Ark., Eastview, Tenn., and Bridgeport, Texas.
The Pine Bluff store features Subway and Chester's Chicken restaurants and 74 truck parking spaces. The Eastview store offers a Subway restaurant, 28 truck parking spaces and public laundry capabilities. The Bridgeport travel stop features an Arby's restaurant, 51 truck parking spaces, laundry capabilities and a game room.
NOCO
NOCO Express completed the renovations at its store located at 1199 French Road in Depew, N.Y. The three-week interior remodel features an updated look and expanded fresh and convenient food offerings.
"Our customers are busy and with this remodel, we were able to provide them with an easier to shop store that offers convenient and better for you grab and go food options which they are looking for," said Jim DeFilippis, vice president and general manager, NOCO Express. "In addition to offering more selection, the overall store features a more inviting look and feel."
The store's interior boasts a new décor for a refreshed look and updated floor plan making the store easier to shop. A cooler island features an expanded variety of freshly prepared and pre-packaged sandwiches, salads, wraps, and snack packs from NOCO's signature Nickel City Foods.
Customers can also find a greater beer selection, including a variety from local breweries. Tim Hortons remains at the location and is open 24 hours with a drive-thru.
The French Road NOCO Express is open 24 hours daily and employs 10 associates.
Pilot Flying J
The end of 2018 brought new locations to Pilot Flying J's portfolio.
The Knoxville, Tenn.-based travel center operator opened a Pilot Travel Center in Bensenville, Ill., early in the month. The locations offers many amenities, including 12 gasoline fueling positions and six diesel lanes with high-speed pumps for quicker refueling; PJ Fresh fast casual food offerings; public laundry; a driver's lounge; and a Western Union.
The company also cut the ribbon on a Flying J Travel Center in Tehachapi, Calif. The Flying J Travel Center offers many amenities, including 16 gasoline fueling positions, two RV fueling lanes and nine diesel lanes with high-speed pumps for quicker refueling; PJ Fresh fast casual food offerings; Wendy's and Cinnabon restaurants; public laundry; a driver's lounge; and a Western Union.
Pilot Flying J also opened a Pilot Travel Center in Rhome, Texas, in mid-November. The site offers eight gasoline fueling positions and six diesel lanes with high-speed pumps for quicker refueling; PJ Fresh fast casual food offerings; public laundry; and a Western Union.
Sheetz Inc.
The latest Sheetz Inc. rang up its first customers on Jan. 4 in Winston-Salem, N.C. The convenience store features the retailer's MTO menu on its touchscreen order terminals, allowing customers to customize specialty drinks and food items. During the store’s grand-opening ceremony, Sheetz will donate $2,500 to Special Olympics of North Carolina.