THREE RIVERS, Texas -- CST Brands Inc. hosted a grand opening today for its largest Corner Store to date and its 1,033 store in its U.S. network in Three Rivers, Texas, an agricultural and oil field community in the heart of the Eagle Ford Shale.
At 10,100 square feet, the Travel Center features a Subway, indoor and outdoor dining, extra-large restrooms, two ATMs and a beer cave. Additionally, the store has E85 fuel, 10 gasoline dispensers and six high-speed diesel dispensers as well as ample parking for big rig trucks, cars and motorcycles.
The new Corner Store will be a welcome pit stop between San Antonio and Corpus Christi, the company said, breaking up a long stretch of empty highway and providing a much-needed respite for travelers and oil industry workers to fuel up on food, drinks and gasoline.
"The demand for a store in this area is huge," said Kim Bowers, president and CEO of CST Brands. "Oil field workers often come to Corner Store three times a day to grab kolaches and coffee for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and a beverage on the way home. At CST, we are all about making people's lives easier."
Jim Huff, Live Oak County Judge, said the new Corner Store sits on Texas 72, a main artery for economic activity related to the Eagle Ford shale play.
"The Eagle Ford Shale is transforming South Texas and providing many challenges in its path. Traffic, roads, housing and convenience services are in great demand," Huff said. "The new Corner Store helps meet those demands and provides employment in a sustainable business."
The store offers a broad array of convenience merchandise, beverages, snacks and fresh food, as well as Corner Store's own signature items, including kolaches, whoopie pies, cookies and donuts baked fresh in the store, breakfast tacos with homemade tortillas, grilled sausages and all-beef hot dogs with white or wheat buns, fresh-cut fruit and salads.
In addition to Fresh Choices baked and packaged goods, the store will carry U Force energy and sport drinks, Cibolo Mountain coffee, FC bottled soda, Flavors2Go fountain drinks and ICEES.
Donald Hunt, a six-month team member with CST, will serve as store manager. The Three Rivers location is CST's 627th store in Texas.
Hunt expects the store to create 50 additional jobs in the region and is still hiring for a number of positions.
With nearly 1,900 sites in the United States and Canada and $13.1 billion in revenues last year, CST is the second-largest publicly traded fuel and convenience merchandise retailer in North America.
In the United States., CST's Corner Stores sell Valero fuels and a line of 185 signature products. In Canada, CST is the exclusive provider of Ultramar fuels and its Depanneur du Coin and Corner Stores sell signature Transit Cafe coffee and pastries.
In the coming year, CST plans to build 15 brand new stores in the U.S., adding to its network of 1,033 stores throughout Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona and California. More than half of CST's U.S. stores are located in Texas.
CST plans to focus on building new, larger stores with ample parking, colorful and spacious design and a wider variety of food options. In 2012, CST sold more than four million kolaches and 1.3 million whoopie pies baked fresh in its U.S. stores.
CST Brands is one of the largest independent retailers of motor fuels and convenience merchandise in North America. Based in San Antonio, CST employs nearly 12,000 team members at nearly 1,900 locations throughout the Southwestern United States and Eastern Canada.
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