LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Greater Midwestern convenience retailer Thorntons Inc. has announced its expansion into the Florida regional metropolitan market of Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater. The first location is set to open in Spring 2013 in Clearwater.
As reported in a Morgan Keegan/CSP Daily News Flash yesterday, Thorntons' strategic plan for the region is to add 15 to 20 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area stores in the next three years.
Currently established throughout the Midwest and Mid-South--in the states of Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee--this is the company's first foray into a new region since Nashville, Tenn., in 2007.
With the fall 2012 expansion, Thorntons will offer convenience items and fuel in six states.
The move follows a similar noncontiguous expansion initiative by Pennsylvania-based convenience retailer Wawa Inc. With more than 570 convenience stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, it is now Wawa will celebrate the grand opening of the first Florida store on July 18, 2012, with four more stores opening within one month's time. Wawa plans to open 20 stores in 2013, 25 stores in 2014 and 25 stores in 2015, and projects that it will open 100 stores in the Orlando market in the next five years.
(Click here for previous CSP Daily News coverage of Wawa's entry into Florida.)
Representatives of Thorntons did not respond by press time to a request for more details.
"To people on-the-go looking for quick refreshment, Thorntons is the gasoline and convenience store with delicious food and drinks where the experience will always be fast, friendly, and easy to save you time in your busy day," said Matt Thornton president and CEO.
With more than $2.3 billion in revenue, Thorntons is the largest privately held corporation in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Based in Louisville, Ky., it operates 165 gasoline and convenience stores, car washes and travel plazas in five states: Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee. Thorntons distributes its petroleum products through its wholly owned Thornton Transportation Co. and operates a river bulk storage terminal in Louisville.
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