New Convenience-Store Roundup for April 2017
By Greg Lindenberg on May 21, 2017CHICAGO -- This edition of New Convenience-Store Roundup features new c-store openings, closings and more for the month of April 2017.
The unscientifically gathered roundup—gleaned from company announcements, websites, social media and newspapers around the country, among other sources—serves as a monthly competitive snapshot of newly opened or closed U.S. convenience stores, gas stations, truckstops and travel centers not previously reported in CSP Daily News. (Those stores are not counted here.)
Many of the stores listed here are owned by independent operators, while others belong to major chains, many part of CSP’s Top 202 list of the largest chains in the industry. Some represent new entrepreneurs, while others are longtime business owners exiting the industry.
Unless noted otherwise, the new locations offer the food, snacks, beverages, tobacco, merchandise, services and amenities found in most c-stores. Most offer gasoline.
To be sure your locations are listed in this roundup, please send new-store announcements to Greg Lindenberg at glindenberg@winsightmedia.com.
Click through for a state-by-state breakdown …
Arizona
QuikTrip opened a c-store in Peoria, Ariz., on April 20.
Net new stores*: 1
*Represents stores opened minus stores closed in this state for the month from this count only; it does not include new ownership or rebranding. It also does not include any store openings or closings previously reported in CSP Daily News. Other c-stores not captured by this count may have opened or closed in the state.
California
A 70-year-old Fresno, Calif., Shell station rebranded to Sinclair in early April.
A new Circle K convenience store with Shell gasoline opened in Antioch, Calif., on April 28. On the same day, the company also opened a new Circle K with 76 fuel in Riverside, Calif.
Net new stores: 2
Florida
Cumberland Farms opened new c-stores in Fort Pierce, Fla., on April 4, Cocoa, Fla., on April 6 and Port St. Lucie, Fla., on April 13.
A new Circle K c-store with Shell fuel opened in Tampa, Fla., on April 10.
Net new stores: 4
Georgia
A new Circle K c-store with BP fuel opened in College Park, Ga., on April 10. The company also opened a new Circle K with BP fuel in Norcross, Ga., on April 12.
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened a new travel stop in Macon, Ga., on April 27. The 12,000-square-foot facility features Subway, Chester’s Chicken and Godfather’s Pizza Express restaurants, 14 fuel pumps, 10 diesel pumps, laundry, seven showers, 119 truck-parking spaces and a Love’s Truck Tire Care center.
QuikTrip opened a new c-store in Marietta, Ga., in late April.
Net new stores: 4
Hawaii
Illinois
Stuckey’s opened a new c-store and gas station in Johnston City, Ill., on April 5.
Bucky’s opened a new c-store in Crystal Lake, Ill., on April 20.
A 7-Eleven c-store and gas station in Northbrook, Ill., closed in late April.
A new Circle K c-store with BP fuel opened in Worth, Ill., on April 28. On the same day, the company also opened a new Circle K with BP fuel in Alsip, Ill.
A Mobil station in Niles, Ill., rebranded to 7-Eleven in late April.
Net new stores: 3
Indiana
Circle K opened a new c-store in Jefferson, Ind., in early April.
Stuckey’s opened a new c-store and gas station in Remington, Ind., in mid-April.
On April 26, Sunoco LP and ITR Concession Co. held the grand opening of two new APlus Convenience Store Plazas along the Indiana Toll Road in Portage, Ind., part of a project ITR announced last year to rebuild the four pairs of travel plaza buildings.
Net new stores: 4
Iowa
Maine
Portland, Maine, c-store Joe’s Super Variety reopened April 20 on the same site it has occupied for more than 70 years. In December 2015, the owners closed the store and the building was demolished to make way for an eight-story apartment building. The new c-store is on the ground floor of the building.
Net new stores: 1
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Don's Full Service Gas & Auto Repair in Wyoming, Mich., closed April 28 after 67 years in business.
Net new stores: -1
Minnesota
C&B Warehouse Distributing opened The Short Stop, a new gas station and c-store in Buhl, Minn., in mid-April. The 4,950-square-foot store features four gas pumps.
Net new stores: 1
Missouri
MFA Oil reopened a Break Time c-store in Columbia, Mo., in mid-April. The new 3,500-square-foot store is about 1,000 square feet larger than the former store. The interior includes a new beer cave. Outside, customers will find 12 fueling positions, four more than at the old store.
QuikTrip opened a new c-store in St. Louis in mid-April.
Net new stores: 2
New York
In April, Brad Lamie and Kyle Palmer took over as the owners of a full-service gas station in Le Roy, N.Y. The station, now known as Le Roy Express, was full service before, but since buying the business, they also clean windows and check oil. Full service “is what draws people, especially in the winter," Palmer said. "Nobody wants to get out of their cars and pump gas."
Net new stores: 0
North Carolina
Ohio
Casey’s opened a new c-store in Fort Loramie, Ohio, on April 20.
Love’s opened a new travel stop in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, on April 27. The 10,000-square-foot facility features Subway, Chester’s Chicken and Godfather’s Pizza Express restaurants, 10 fuel pumps, seven diesel pumps, seven showers, 60 truck-parking spaces and a Love’s Truck Tire Care center.
In early April, United Dairy Farmerssold four northeastern Ohio c-stores in Lakewood, North Olmsted, South Euclid and Cleveland Heights to a new company, Uptown Mart. UDF cited “economies of scale” and extra costs for the sale.
Net new stores: 2
Oklahoma
The Chickasha Travel Plaza opened on April 1 in Chickasha, Okla. It is branded Phillips 66 and includes Chickasha Auto and Diesel Repair.
Net new stores: 1
Pennsylvania
Sheetz opened a new c-store in Butler, Pa., on April 13 (click here to watch a video of the store opening).
Net new stores: 1
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
The Elkhorn Ridge Travel Center opened in Spearfish, S.D., in mid-April. If features a Dickey’s Barbecue Pit restaurant and Double Barrel Lounge and Casino.
Net new stores: 1
Texas
A new Circle K c-store with Chevron fuel opened in Plano, Texas, on April 16.
QuikTrip opened new c-stores in Mesquite, Texas, in mid-April and in Dallas and Lancaster, Texas, in late April.
Net new stores: 4
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Consumers Cooperative opened its new Cenex c-store in Sauk City, Wis., in mid-April. The 8,000-square-foot facility, built adjacent to an older store, nearly doubled its store space and is also home to the company’s administrative offices. The old store will house the cooperative’s heating and air conditioning operation.
Net new stores: 0
TOTAL NEW STORES FOR APRIL 2017: 37
TOTAL NEW STORES FOR 2017: 146