OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. -- This edition of New Convenience-Store Roundup features new convenience-store openings, sales, acquisitions and store closings with listings for the month of July 2015.
The unscientifically gathered roundup is by no means complete, but serves as a monthly competitive snapshot of newly opened or closed U.S. convenience stores, gas stations, truckstops and travel centers not previously reported in CSP Daily News.
Many of the stores are owned by independent operators, while others belong to major chains, some part of CSP's Convenience Top 101. Some of them may be your new competitors.
The list has been arranged by state. Click through each item for more details on each store.
Your store not listed? Please send your new-store announcements to Greg Lindenberg at glindenberg@cspnet.com.
Arkansas
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores Inc. opened its doors for business on July 2 in Jonesboro, Ark. The 24-hour facility is more than 9,000 square feet and features a Subway restaurant, gourmet coffee, fresh fruit, merchandise, electronics and more. Professional drivers can take advantage of seven showers and 77 truck parking spaces.
Arizona
QuikTrip opened its latest Gen 3 convenience store in Peoria, Ariz., on July 16, replacing an older-model store and gas station across the street. The fuel pumps at the former site have been dismantled, and the company hopes to sell the former store building.
The Yavapai-Apache Nation opened a convenience store near Camp Verde, Ariz., in mid-July. The Market Place will feature a deli, a smoke shop and specialty beers on tap.
California
Rocky's Market in Oakland, Calif., owned by Rocky Dudum and Art Lotti, held a grand opening on July 18. Plans are underway to add a cafe featuring locally roasted Slojoy coffee, Tara's Organic ice cream and locally sourced, sustainable sandwiches, salads and entrees prepared by Two Local Girls and a seating area.
A new Circle K convenience store opened in Riverside, Calif., on July 30, co-branded with 76 fuel.
Colorado
The Mount Werner Water & Sanitation District purchased the Shop & Hop convenience store in Steamboat Springs, Colo., in mid-July to protect groundwater quality upstream of the district’s wellfields that provide 20% of the community’s potable water supply. The store’s continued operation had become a concern since contaminated soils was discovered on site in 2000. The owner planned to expand operations including the addition of diesel and higher-margin products and foodservice to increase traffic and profitability. This would have also required expansion of the existing septic system. The owner closed the store and gas station and is de-commissioning the underground storage tanks and associated infrastructure.
Florida
On July 30, CEFCO Convenience Stores opened its newest ground-up location in Crestview, Fla. It is a 5,500-square foot prototype location. It offers hot and cold “Fresh Eats” grab-n-go offerings, as well as traditional food and beverage offerings. It also features the Fresh Yo frozen yogurt concept.
Indiana
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened its doors for business on July 23 in Knightstown, Ind. The new store offers gourmet coffee, fresh fruit, gift items, electronics and McDonald’s and Subway restaurants. The 24/7 travel stop features seven showers, 89 parking spaces, RFID cardless fueling and CAT scales.
Ricker’s convenience stores opened a new location in Edinburgh, Ind., in late July. In addition to its new design, the store offers fresh “bean-to-cup” gourmet coffee, cappuccino, iced coffee and frappés with syrups and creamers. All machines use reverse-osmosis water filtration. There is also a selection of wine. This location is also home to Ricker’s own brand of fast and fresh Mexican cuisine. It also will carry its own brand of frozen yogurt.
A new McClure Oil gas station and service center opened its doors on July 2 in Marion, Ind., with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and festivities.
The Hitchin’ Post gas station and convenience store in Hitchins, Ind., was sold lin late July to Prakash Patel.
Iowa
A QuikTrip convenience store in Council Bluffs, Iowa, shut its doors on July 29, sold to a new owner, which will reopen the c-store under a different name. The company said it closed the store because of poor sales performance caused by cigarette taxes and a higher state gas tax.
Fullers Standard Station in Adel, Iowa—a community gathering place—shut its doors on July 18 after more than 35 years. The owners will stay in business making petroleum deliveries throughout the state. The aging building needed repairs, the site needed new gas pumps and it all added up to a six-figure price tag.
Maryland
Weis Markets opened its newest Gas-N-Go, located at its Westminster, Md., convenience store in mid-July. The gas station features four pumps.
Royal Farms held the grand opening of its first convenience store in Prince George's County, Md., on July 24.
Massachusetts
A new Brookline, Mass., independent convenience store, Square Market, opened in late July in a space formerly occupied by a 7-Eleven.
After 96 years, Flood’s Automotive & Tire Center in Southbridge, Mass., exited the gas business in mid-July. “Gasoline is about 70% of our sales, but only about 10% of our profits,” said owner Roy Wilson. “So we’re going to see if we can make a go of it with just the service business. We have four service bays, and we sell cars and we rent cars. We have a good staff, so maybe we will do even better.” He said compliance with state Department of Environmental Protection’s regulations for underground storage tanks was too costly, so he opted to have the pumps and tanks removed. He estimated it would cost $400,000 to make his station compliant with the regulations and the 2015 amendment that will take effect in 2017. DEP spokesperson Edmund Coletta said that business decisions such as Wilson’s are made every day, but that he has not seen widespread closure of gas stations as a result of the new regulations. “This is one of the things that happens,” said Coletta.
Michigan
The newest addition to the Pitstop convenience-store family opened in Washington Township, Mich., on July 22.
Missouri
A new Love’s Travel Stop & Country Stores location opened for business on July 2 in Bevier, Mo. The new 24/7 travel stop offers customers a Subway restaurant, fresh fruit, gourmet coffee, travel items, gift merchandise and more. Professional drivers can take advantage of 67 truck parking spaces and seven showers.
New Jersey
HMSHost, in partnership with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, opened the Atlantic Travel Plaza in Pomona, N.J., in time for the July 4 holiday weekend. On the Garden State Parkway, the 11,500-square-foot facility will offer brands including Starbucks, Burger King, Auntie Anne’s and Z Market.
New York
Stewart’s Shops opened the doors at its newly rebuilt convenience store in Wynantskill, N.Y., on July 1. It also opened a newly rebuilt convenience store in Ticonderoga, N.Y., on July 10, on the same property as a previous shop.
North Carolina
Mountain Energy opened a new convenience store in Skyland, N.C., with a Schlotzky’s deli inside in late July. It offers growlers with 16 brews on tap,
Ohio
Van Wert, Ohio’s new Shell Party Mart convenience store officially opened on July 23, and it includes a Schlotzsky’s/Cinnabon restaurant. Ottawa Oil Co. co-owner Janel Kruse said the site also offers craft beers and a drive-through window.
Oklahoma
The Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma celebrated the opening of its latest enterprise in Grove, Okla., on July 16—The Turtle Stop-Grove, a full-service convenience store and gas station—with a traditional ceremony and ribbon cutting. The 4,248-square-foot facility features all grades of fuel, c-store items, hot and cold drinks along with a food menu including breakfast, pizza and sandwiches. It will be open 24 hours a day. The store is located outside the tribal jurisdiction, so it will not seek to put the land into trust and will conduct business paying property and sales tax. It does not have casino gaming machines, unlike other locations on tribal land.
Pennsylvania
A new Sheetz convenience store in Lower Swatara Township, Pa., held a grand opening on July 23. The company opened two new convenience stores in Burnham and Huntingdon, Pa., on July 30.
Giant Eagle opened the Carnegie Parkway GetGo convenience store in Carnegie, Pa., on July 16.
Texas
CST Brands’ Corner Store celebrated the grand opening of its newest convenience store in Floresville, Texas, on July 3. At 5,889 square feet, it features a Redbox, indoor dining and 34 fueling stations with E85 and diesel fuel. It opened a c-store in Tombell, Texas, on July 24.
Pilot Flying J purchased the Lufkin, Texas, Fuel City location in mid-July.
QuikTrip opened a convenience store in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 30, the "Granbury Road Station."
Stripes opened a convenience store in Willis, Texas, on July 8, and its first location in El Campo, Texas, on July 15.
West Virginia
Little General stores acquired two Dairy Mart convenience stores in Morgantown, W.Va., which opened under Little General ownership on July 21.
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