CARY, N.C. --The Pantry Inc. opened its first military-themed Kangaroo Express convenience store on May 8 in Fayetteville, N.C., celebrating the strong Armed Forces community in Fayetteville and Fort Bragg.
The c-store will hold a grand opening event on May 30 with a variety of festivities, including recognition of the local military personnel and military families that helped shape the site.
Kangaroo Express hosted a round table at the USO of North Carolina (USO-NC) Fort Bragg Center to collect input from servicemen and women, their spouses and children, and the company developed the store design as a direct result of their feedback. The location features tributes to the troops incorporated throughout the design.
Six murals on side of the store depict brave military men and women serving the country. The "Wash Rack" caters to civilian and military vehicles with an automatic car wash, foam, rinse and wax options.
Customers can also purchase a chilled beverage from the walk-in "Cold Canteen," always set at 34 degrees Fahrenheit.
The company chose the mural subjects and military-themed names unanimously through local input."
With more than half of its stores located within 25 miles of a military installation, Kangaroo Express has supported the military and military families for many years, including raising millions of dollars each year for military support organizations as part of its summer-long Salute Our Troops fundraising campaign.
"Considering more than one-third of our employees have a direct connection to the military, supporting our troops is supporting our family," said Gordon Schmidt, senior vice president of operations for Kangaroo Express. "We knew that in order to provide the best possible service to our troops and their families, we needed to go to the source. Many features of the Fayetteville store, from the Wall of Honor to unique promotions, are the direct result of conversations with locals at the USO-NC center."
The store also features a Wall of Honor that will recognize local community members who are making a difference in the Fayetteville area and around the world through their service. It will also display recognitions from local military service organizations, including the USO-NC and Fisher House Foundation, for Kangaroo Express' support through its Salute Our Troops campaign and throughout the year.
Kangaroo Express' 2013 Salute Our Troops campaign raised more than $528,000 for the Fisher House Foundation alone. This was the single largest contributor to the construction of the new Fisher House at Womack Army Medical Center in Fort Bragg, scheduled to open its doors in spring 2015.
The Fayetteville store will feature Kangaroo Express' Bean Street Coffee, fresh sandwiches and an assortment of bakery options. It also features a Subway restaurant with a drive-thru. The restaurant also accommodates seating for about 30 customers.
As of May 1, 2014, The Pantry operated 1,534 stores in 13 states under select banners, including its primary operating banner, Kangaroo Express.
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