Burt Holmes, the co-founder of the QuikTrip convenience-store chain, has died at age 93.
A visit to Dallas in 1957 where he saw thriving 7-Eleven c-stores inspired Holmes with the idea to open a small grocery store—then called a “bantam” store or drive-in grocery store—in his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, according to the timeline on QuikTrip’s website.
Holmes, along with a former junior high school classmate, Chester Cadieux, invested in, opened and operated the first QuikTrip store on Sept. 25, 1958, in Tulsa.
“In 1958, Burt came up with the ‘crazy’ idea to open a convenience store. We are extremely fortunate that he did because it created opportunities for so many people who make our company what it is today,” QuikTrip Chairman and CEO Chet Cadieux said in a statement issued Wednesday evening regarding the passing of Holmes. “On behalf of our 31,000 employees, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude. We will miss you, Burt, but we will never forget you.”
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond called Holmes one of the state’s leading entrepreneurs.
“Oklahoma has lost a true giant with the passing of Burt Holmes,” Drummond said in a statement. “Although he made tremendous wealth as a co-founder of QuikTrip and as the owner of The Holmes Organisation, he was passionate about good governance, education and the arts. Burt did not suffer fools, and if he believed you needed chastisement, he would gladly oblige—in spades. But if he believed you were a positive contributor to society, even in the smallest increment, you could count on Burt to encourage you and elevate your cause. He was one-of-a-kind, and he will be greatly missed.”
QuikTrip's other co-founder, Chester Cadieux, died in 2016.
• QuikTrip is No. 9 on CSP’s 2024 Top 202 ranking of U.S. c-store chains by store count.
Over the last 66 years, QuikTrip has grown its footprint to more than 1,100 stores across 19 states.
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