LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Thorntons has partnered with the Louisville Urban League to open the company’s first nonprofit community convenience store, located at the Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center in the west end of Louisville, Ky. The new store, designed to spur economic development and revitalization of this area of the company’s home town, will open on April 13.
“This investment by Thorntons represents a truly significant opportunity for our community,” said Sadiqa Reynolds, president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League in December when the store was announced. “It encompasses workforce development, Black business development and a new healthy amenity for a community that needs it.”
Thorntons has built a storefront into an exterior facing location of the facility and will operate the store as a sustainable, not-for-profit venture increasingly featuring products from local minority-owned business. All profits from sales at this Thorntons store will be reinvested by the Louisville Urban League to promote community equity and empowerment.
Store team members have been hired from the community, offering employment and professional development opportunities. The store will also serve as a community recruitment gateway into the wider Thorntons store network.
The store will be open to serve the community and visitors at the Norton Athletic Facility seven days a week.
“We are passionate about contributing to the progress and wellbeing of our communities and investing in programs that make a direct and current difference,” said Thorntons President and CEO Simon Richards (one of CSP’s 2021 Power 20 honorees). “We promised this summer that when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion, we will be better and we will do better.”
- Click here for a CSP Outlook Leadership Community Talks From the Top with Simon Richards as he discusses the not-for-profit store.
“Thorntons is proud to partner with the Louisville Urban League to achieve their vision and open our first not-for-profit community store serving West End residents, and to bring employment and equity to the community,” Richards said in December. “We look forward to becoming West Louisville’s favorite place to stop when they are on the go.”
Thorntons operates more than 200 c-stores in six states: Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee and Florida. It ranks No. 38 inCSP’s 2020 Top 40 Update to the 2020 Top 202 ranking of the largest c-store chains in the United States.
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