CUBA, Mo. -- Wallis Cos. has closed on the acquisition of a portfolio of convenience stores in the greater St. Louis area. This acquisition consists of 13 Dirt Cheap locations, 19 U-Gas convenience stores, one commissary operation and one undeveloped parcel for future store development.
Wallis Cos. signed the agreement to acquire the assets of U-Gas Holdings Inc., including the c-stores and Gigi’s Commissary, in late July.
The acquisition strengthens Wallis’s existing convenience-store network throughout Missouri.
“With entrepreneurial roots, our company has always focused on growth. We are excited about the new customers and new markets this acquisition allows us to serve. Our team has worked hard to make the transition smooth for customers,” said Lynn Wallis, president and CEO of Wallis Cos.
Most of the existing staff joined Wallis Cos. The company said it plans no immediate changes for store operations.
U-Gas was founded in 1977 in Fenton, Mo. Over the years, the company created multiple retail gasoline and convenience-store brands, including U-Gas and Dirt Cheap. It also is one of about a half-dozen c-store chains that have joined Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), committing to provide healthier food and snack choices to customers.
Founded in 1968 and based in Cuba, Mo., Wallis Cos. is a petroleum distributor and convenience-store operator. Its portfolio now includes more than 230 c-stores in the region. Wallis Cos. is a regional franchise developer for ExxonMobil’s On the Run c-store brand in Missouri. Other Wallis Cos. businesses include a lubricant division, a transportation division and a car-wash division.
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