Grand Opening: TravelCenters of America
By Mitch Morrison on Aug. 25, 2017COLUMBIA, S.C. --TravelCenters of America opened a new travel center in Columbia, S.C., earlier this year. Built on about 24 acres, the site includes a 4,500-square-foot convenience store, 6,700-square-foot arcade, 16-lane bowling alley and much more.
Here's a look inside the Westlake, Ohio-based chain's newest location ...
Photography by Jeff Hammond
With trucker traffic, a major university and a large, local residential neigborhood to serve, this TA site offers a variety of food, snacks, beverages, general merchandise and entertainment.
The site’s Quaker Steak & Lube full-service restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating.
Multiple beers on tap and racing memorabilia await visitors to the restaurant.
Inside the c-store, warmers hold hot sandwiches, while nearby racks tempt with a sweet treat for dessert.
Sixteen cooler doors hold everything from six-packs of beer to carbonated soft drinks and energy drinks.
The snack and candy aisle offers a selection of meat snacks made with elk, venison and other game meats.
Customers can grab general-merchandise items, including toys, from the site’s Minit Mart convenience store. The store also carries clothing and an “entertainment headquarters” section with DVDs and tech accessories.
The 16-lane bowling alley attracts families as well as league events.
Drivers can tidy up in one of the site’s touch-free restrooms.
Young and young-at-heart customers take a turn in the 6,700-square-foot arcade packed with games old and new.
If a vehicle is in need of repairs, the truck doctor is in.