MARIETTA, Ohio — Par Mar Stores has agreed to acquire the Mountaineer Mart convenience-store chain based in Buckhannon, W.Va.
The chain's 17 stores fall mostly within Par Mar’s existing territory, but the deal also allows the company to expand into some new areas, it said.
The companies expect the deal to close in fourth-quarter 2019. Upon the closing of this acquisition, Par Mar’s overall store count will be 137 stores.
“We are very excited about the takeover of Mountaineer Mart,” said Par Mar Stores President Brian Waugh. “Mountaineer Mart is a leader in the areas that they are located, particularly in lottery and tobacco. We plan to build on what we learn at Mountaineer Mart in our other locations. … We will be making in-store layout changes at each location over the winter, as the stores will continue to be branded Mountaineer Mart.”
These locations will accept the Par Mar Rewards card and app. All stores will have an ATM, Hot Brew Highway coffee and cappuccino, pepperoni rolls, Dippin’ Dots, cellphone accessories, frozen foods and staples such as milk, ice cream, soft drinks, snacks, beer, wine, cigarettes and tobacco.
- Par Mar is No. 57 in CSP’s2019 Top 202 ranking of c-store chains by number of retail outlets.
Joseph Grow of Parkersburg, W.Va., and James L. Hollister of Marietta, Ohio, founded Par Mar Oil Co. in 1967, with “Par” standing for Parkersburg and “Mar” for Marietta. It opened its first convenience store in 1979. The company, based in Marietta, has 120 convenience stores, with 62 in West Virginia, 35 in Ohio, 22 in Pennsylvania and one in Kentucky. The company also is a franchisee for 12 Subways and two A&W restaurants. Croton Holding Co., Pittsburgh, purchased Par Mar Oil in 2016.
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