JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- 7-Eleven Inc. plans to open 15 to 20 convenience stores this year in the Jacksonville, Fla., market and 80 stores by 2015, reported the Florida Times-Union. President and CEO Joe DePinto made the announcement at a Wednesday morning ceremony at the Jacksonville Landing, attended by Florida governor Rick Scott and Jacksonville mayor Alvin Brown, among others.
The event featured a military color guard and free Slurpees.
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At one time, the Dallas-based chain operated 90 convenience stores in the area. The last 7-Eleven signs in Jacksonville came down in 1990 when Jacksonville-based Gate Petroleum bought the last 28 stores in northeastern Florida and converted them to Gate Food Posts. That contract included a no-compete clause, preventing 7-Eleven from reentering the area for 20 years, said the report.
The company has 13 properties secured and will be looking for more, Grant Distel, the chain's regional development director, told the newspaper.
7-Eleven will buy existing stores, both independent and chains, and convert them. It also will move into empty buildings and will build others from the ground up. Some will have gas, some will not, he said.
The first store, near the airport, is now being converted and should be complete in April, Distel said.
The stores will all be owned by the company, but operated by franchisees, Ron Grafton, a franchise sales representative, told the paper. That may mean that some will be opened and operated by the company until a franchisee is found.
In his speech welcoming 7-Eleven back to Jacksonville Scott thanked the Florida Legislature for passing his 2012 Job Creation & Economic Growth Agenda to spur job growth by lowering the cost of living and doing business in Florida.
He praised 7-Eleven's plan for the city, which will create approximately 800 jobs during the next five years.
With 734 7-Eleven stores currently located throughout Florida, the company plans to add 400 more stores statewide by 2016, according to a statement issued by the governor.
"The return of 7-Eleven to Jacksonville shows that Florida is becoming known as the best place for businesses to grow and expand," said Scott. "I applaud 7-Eleven for creating jobs in our state, and I thank the Florida Legislature, Mayor Brown and the city council for helping create a business environment where private-sector jobs can grow."
In his remarks, Brown said, "My administration is working hard to cut red tape, grow business and put this city back to work. Moves like this don't happen without sound market research showing the way. This expansion for 7-Eleven shows confidence in Jacksonville's economic future and the best is yet to come."
Said DePinto: "It's great to be in the River City. This is a very big day for 7-Eleven because it is a homecoming for us. Some 60 years ago, 7-Eleven, as we branched out from our home in Texas, the first place we went, can anyone guess? Jacksonville."
Dallas-based 7-Eleven Inc. operates, franchises or licenses more than 9,100 7-Eleven stores in North America. Globally, there are some 45,200 7-Eleven stores in 16 countries. During 2010, 7-Eleven stores worldwide generated total sales of more than $62.7 billion.
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