MASON CITY, Iowa -- New convenience retailer Yesway has opened six c-stores in Mason City, Iowa. The sites were former Kum & Go stores, among 21 that BW Gas & Holdings acquired from Kum & Go in July 2016.
Yesway began to build its c-store network with the acquisition of 10 Country Store locations in December 2015.
The company has said it plans to acquire, improve and rebrand 600 to 1,000 convenience stores in select regions of the United States over the next several years.
Click through for details about the new-store openings …
Featuring new and upgraded store facilities inside and out, Yesway now has “an enhanced shopping experience, neighborly customer service and competitively priced gas,” it said. The locations offer Cenex fuel.
The company held a grand opening and ribbon-cutting event Nov. 4 at one of the stores. Mason City community members, local officials, members of the Chamber of Commerce and Yesway team members and executives attended the event.
“We see this as the beginning of a very strong partnership with the citizens of Mason City,” said Brian Trout, Yesway’s senior vice president of operations. “Our goal is to provide everyone with a terrific shopping experience. We look forward to serving quality food, good coffee and reliable fuel, and to making life easier and each day a bit more pleasant for the Mason City community. That’s our promise to all of our customers.”
The event also began a monthlong fundraiser benefiting the North Iowa Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Teen CERT, which assist first responders in the event of a disaster or community crisis. During the fundraiser, Yesway will donate 5 cents from every cup of coffee it sells at its Mason City stores directly to the organization.
“We strive to play a vital role in the communities we serve--one that goes beyond bringing you that great cup of coffee or ensuring our shelves are always stocked,” said Thomas Nicholas Trkla, Yesway’s chairman and CEO. “That’s why at Yesway, we recognize and actively support local charities, civic organizations, first responders and those who serve or have served in the military, and those folks who make a difference in the lives of others; those organizations and individuals who spend their free time striving to help their fellow citizens and communities, who go above and beyond, while asking nothing in return. … Their selflessness and commitment to supporting the Mason City community are values that we at Yesway support fully and hope to emulate.”
Yesway is scheduled to open its next convenience store in Ottumwa, Iowa, on Nov. 11.
BW Gas & Convenience, doing business as Yesway, is based in West Des Moines, Iowa. Brookwood Financial Partners LLC, a private-equity investment firm based in Beverly, Mass., formed BW Gas & Convenience in June 2015 to acquire and operate a diversified portfolio of gas stations and convenience stores in select regions of the United States.
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