JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Gate on Wednesday celebrated the grand opening of its newest convenience store concurrent with the receipt of the St. Johns River Water Management District's designation as a Florida Water Star-certified commercial facility.
Florida Water Star is the District's voluntary certification program for new and existing residential and commercial developments that encourages water efficiency in appliances, plumbing fixtures, irrigation systems and landscapes. Florida Water Star's home certification program (FWS Silver) launched in mid-2006, and the commercial (FWS Commercial) and retrofit (FWS Bronze) versions are currently pilot programs.
Gate was the district's first commercial designation recipient in 2010 for the reconstruction of another location.
To meet FWS Commercial standards, Gate installed water-efficient fixtures indoors and chose Florida-friendly landscaping, which suits the site and thrives with little or no supplemental irrigation. FWS Commercial criteria also call for rigorous irrigation design requirements to maximize water savings along with smart technology, which minimize use of irrigation. Most importantly, the irrigation schedule cannot exceed 20 annual inches, a projected 40% savings over typical irrigation use.
"We have measured the consumption history of our [previous] store and the results make it very clear--achieving this certification on the front end of a project takes minimal effort and pays dividends both to our bottom line and to the environment," said Becky Hamilton, Gate real estate manager. "We are very pleased to bring another store online utilizing these conservation elements."
The 4,800-square-foot store features a variety of amenities such as fuel (including ethanol-free fuel), vacuum and air, ATM, Florida Lottery, roller grill and deli foodservice items, Best Bean Coffee (in celebration of the grand opening, through May 12, customers can receive a free 16-oz. Best Bean Coffee just for stopping in), Fountain Central beverages, ICEEs, beer igloo, gourmet pastries and Krispy Kreme donuts, f'Real milkshakes and a broad selection of merchandise. It offered other grand-opening promotions.
The store will be open seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
"As Jacksonville's neighborhood convenience store, our No. 1 priority is to go 'beyond convenience' by making the customer our top priority in all we do," said Mitchell Rhodes, Gate chief operating officer. "We are tremendously excited to open a new location in this part of our community. We invite you to stop in and let us serve you."
In other company news, via its Green Shamrock Campaign, The Gate Foundation supported the Muscular Dystrophy Association's quest to cure neuromuscular diseases by donating nearly $65,000 through the sale of $1 green shamrock lapel pins in Gate stores from March 1-21, 2013.
Gate is a privately held, diversified corporation based in Jacksonville, Fla. Among operations in several industries, including real estate, hospitality and construction materials, Gate operates convenience stores throughout the southeastern United States in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The company is building facilities that better meet the needs of the consumer by offering spacious floor plans, expanded fueling options, bright and clutter-free interiors, well-lit exteriors, a broad selection of merchandise and services and well-trained, courteous personnel.
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