New Convenience-Store Roundup for April 2021

CHICAGO — This edition of New Convenience-Store Roundup features new-to-industry c-store openings and closings that took place in April 2021.

Topping the tally is Casey’s General Stores, which opened 12 locations during the month, five in Kansas alone. (Pictured: Country music star Lee Brice in a Casey's promotion.)

The unscientifically gathered roundup—gleaned from company announcements, websites, email, social media and newspapers around the country, among other sources—is by no means complete, but it serves as a monthly competitive snapshot of newly opened or closed U.S. c-stores, gas stations, truckstops and travel centers.

• Click here for new c-store roundups from previous months, along with other grand opening and new-store coverage. And click here for coverage of convenience industry mergers-and-acquisitions activity.

Many of the stores listed here are owned by independent operators, while others belong to major chains. Some are part ofCSP’s Top 202 ranking of c-store chains by size (click here for the Top 40 update for 2021; the full 2021 list will appear in the June issue of CSP magazine). Some of the owners and operators are new entrepreneurs, and some are industry veterans.

Unless otherwise noted, the new locations offer the food, snacks, beverages, tobacco, merchandise, services and amenities found in most c-stores. Most offer fuel.

Click through for a state-by-state breakdown …

Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened a new location in Mobile, Ala., off Interstate 10, on April 15. It has nine diesel bays and offers 109 truck, 92 car and eight RV parking spaces. The more than 15,000-square-foot store features a Bojangles restaurant, as well as the Fresh Kitchen proprietary foodservice concept with bean-to-cup coffee. It has seven showers, laundry facilities, a Mobile to Go Zone for electronics. It has a Speedco facility, CAT scale and a dog park.

Net new stores*: 1

*Represents stores opened minus stores closed in this state for the month of this count only. Other c-stores not captured by this count may have opened or closed in the state.

Casey’s General Stores opened new c-stores in Searcy, Ark., on April 1 and Greenbriar, Ark., on April 29.

New stores: 2

Choice Market opened a new, 5,000-square-foot Choice Market Bannock c-store on April 16 in Denver featuring the retailer’s Choice: NOW frictionless, omni-channel shopping experience powered by Aifi. Customers scan the chain’s mobile app upon entry, pick up their groceries and freshly prepared meals and then leave the market without a traditional checkout. They receive a receipt directly to their mobile device moments after they exit the market. 

New stores: 1

RaceTrac opened a new travel center in in Davenport, Fla., in early April. It features 16 front-canopy fueling stations and an extended canopy with seven lanes for high-flow diesel with bulk diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) for professional drivers and 36 truck parking spots. The store is 8,100 square feet and has indoor seating, as well as 600 square feet of outdoor patio space with covered and uncovered seating. Food includes pizza, sandwiches, fried chicken, tamales, taquitos and roller-grill hot dogs. And it features RaceTrac’s Swirl World frozen treat station with a variety of ice creams, yogurts and sorbets with up to 28 toppings, and six blends of freshly ground, freshly brewed Crazy Good Coffee. Merchandise also caters to the professional driver, with tools, hardware, apparel, electronics and more.

7-Eleven opened a new c-store in Venice, Fla., on April 15.

New Stores: 2

Enmarket opened a new c-store in Jesup, Ga., on April 23. It offers a variety of fuel options; the Eatery, with freshly prepared food for all three dayparts; Mooz frozen yogurt; and pay at the pump or scan and go in store with the new Enmarket app.

New Stores: 1

Casey’s General Stores opened a new c-store in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, on April 1.

New Stores: 1

Casey’s General Stores opened new c-stores in Wichita, Kan., on April 1; Lebo, Kan., on April 15; Baldwin City, Kan., on April 22; Pittsburg, Kan., on April 22; and Lawrence, Kan., on April 23.

New Stores: 5

QuikTrip opened a new “remote travel center” in Shreveport, La., on April 15, its first in the state. It features a larger designed lot, with room to service 20 cars for gas and six diesel bays for trucks, and a more spacious c-store than a traditional unit. The company created the new store model for highly traveled areas that are within reasonable proximity to a QuikTrip distribution center for access to fresh food. The Shreveport Travel Center also features an expanded QT Kitchens location, offering fresh, made-to-order food, specialty drinks, soft pretzels, pizzas, macaroni and cheese, custom breakfast tacos, hardwood-smoked barbecue sandwiches, cold brew coffee and frozen treats like QuikShake.

New Stores: 1

Sheetz opened a new c-store in Frederick, Md., on April 1

New Stores: 1

EG America’s Cumberland Farms opened a new c-store in Hanover, Mass., on April 16. It has 12 fueling positions across six islands for gas and 27 parking spots. The more than 4,400-square-foot store features the Farmhouse Fresh To Go concept that includes fresh, handcrafted espresso beverages and a selection of breakfast and lunch sandwiches made daily in its own kitchen. In addition, Cumberland Farms Farmhouse line of baked goods, ice cream and snacks is available.

New Stores: 1

Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened a new location in Sandersville, Miss., off Interstate 59, on April 29. It has eight diesel bays and offers 93 truck and 63 car parking spaces. The more than 11,000-square-foot store features a McDonald’s restaurant, as well as the Fresh Kitchen proprietary foodservice concept with bean-to-cup coffee. It has five showers, laundry facilities, a Mobile to Go Zone for electronics. It has a Speedco facility, CAT scale and a dog park.

New Stores: 1

Casey’s General Stores opened a new c-store in Mound City, Mo., on April 29.

New Stores: 1

7-Eleven opened a 1,690-square-foot c-store in the Westfield South Shore Mall in Bay Shore, N.Y., on Long Island in mid-April. 7-Eleven closed a c-store in Sag Harbor, N.Y., on April 30.

New Stores: 0

Meijer opened a new Meijer Express c-store and gas station in Seven Hills, Ohio, on April 8.

Sheetz opened its first store in the Columbus market, in Delaware, Ohio, on April 13.

Casey’s General Stores opened a new c-store in London, Ohio, on April 23.

Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened a new location in Diamond, Ohio, on April 29. It has eight diesel bays and offers 93 truck, 64 car and three RV parking spaces. The more than 12,000-square-foot store features Godfather’s Pizza and Subway restaurants, as well as the Fresh Kitchen proprietary foodservice concept with bean-to-cup coffee. It has seven showers, laundry facilities, a Mobile to Go Zone for electronics. It has a Speedco facility, CAT scale and a dog park.

New Stores: 4

Casey’s General Stores opened new c-stores in Jenks, Okla., and Kingfisher, Okla., on April 29.

New Stores: 2

Wawa opened a new c-store in Emmaus, Pa., in early April.

Giant Eagle’s GetGo opened a new c-store in Murrysville, Pa., on April 9. The chain also opened its first c-store inside a sports arena on April 21, a Café + Market inside PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. Located behind Section 116 on the FedEx Level, the 2,800-square-foot store spans the combined spaces of three former concession stands. It offers fresh, made-to-order food as well as coolers stocked with grab-and-go items and beverages. The made-to-order menu includes chicken tenders, buffalo tenders, mozzarella sticks, macaroni and cheese wedges, buffalo cauliflower and tots, burgers, chicken sandwiches and subs.

New Stores: 3

CEFCO Convenience Stores opened a new location in Paris, Texas, on April 8. The 7.5-acre site features 16 multipump dispensers, which include ethanol-free fuel and four truck diesel lanes, as well as 11 truck and 29 standard parking spaces. The 7,625-square-foot store offers hot and cold food including Fresh Yo self-service frozen yogurt, breakfast sandwiches, CEFCO Kitchen made-to-order burritos, fried chicken dippers and other CEFCO Kitchen food offerings. This store has a lounge and a shower.

7-Eleven opened its seventh Evolution c-store in Prosper, Texas on April 9. In addition to the Laredo Taco Company taqueria, the store offers an assortment of exclusive products, services and features including self-serve specialty espresso coffee drinks, cold-brew coffee, on-tap novelty and artisan beverages, cookies and croissants baked fresh in store, a selection of national brand skincare and makeup items and the Wine Cellar and Beer Cooler. The company also opened a new c-store in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 22.

New Stores: 3

7-Eleven opened a new Evolution c-store in Manassas, Va., in late April, the c-store chain’s first with two restaurant options in one location—Raise the Roost Chicken and Biscuits, which offers chicken tenders, biscuits, bone-in and boneless wings, chicken sandwiches and breakfast sandwiches in made-to-order and grab-and-go options, and Parlor Pizza, which offers hand-tossed made-to-order New York-style pizza, calzones, garlic knots, pepperoni rolls and hot and cold sub sandwiches. The two restaurants are side by side in the store, with separate ordering counters and shared indoor and outdoor seating. Other features include a wine cellar and beer cooler, fresh-baked-on-site croissants and cookies, customized espresso drinks and artisan craft sodas and sparkling waters. It is the first Evolution location to serve as a real-world testing ground for 7-Eleven's Sips and Snacks emerging brands program. Customers will be able to purchase items they won't find at other 7-Eleven stores.

New Stores: 1

NEW STORES OPENED IN APRIL 2021: 32

STORES CLOSED IN APRIL 2021: 1

NET NEW STORES IN APRIL 2021: 31

TOTAL NET NEW STORES FOR 2021: 96

To be sure your locations are listed in upcoming roundups, please send new-store announcements and other news to Greg Lindenberg at glindenberg@winsightmedia.com.