New Convenience-Store Roundup for August 2018
By Greg Lindenberg on Sep. 09, 2018CHICAGO -- This edition of New Convenience-Store Roundup features new c-store openings, closings and more for the month of August 2018.
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. convenience stores, gas stations, truckstops and travel centers not previously reported in CSP Daily News.
- Click here for new c-store roundups from previous months, along with other grand-opening and new store coverage. Click here for recent M&A activity.
Many of the stores listed here are owned by independent operators, while others belong to major chains. And many are part of CSP’s Top 202 list of the largest chains in the industry. Some represent new entrepreneurs and some are industry veterans, while others are longtime business owners exiting the industry.
- Click here to view the Top 202 c-store chains for 2018.
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 …
Photograph courtesy of Shutterstock
Arizona
Pilot Flying J opened a new Pilot Travel Center in Tucson, Ariz., in August. The facility offers a Subway restaurant; nine truck parking spots; four diesel lanes and 12 gasoline fueling positions; 10 Tesla charging positions; laundry; CAT scale; Western Union; and a drivers’ lounge.
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.
Photograph courtesy of Shutterstock
Florida
Wawa opened new c-stores in Fort Pierce, Fla., on Aug. 23 and in Melbourne, Fla., and Palm Bay, Fla., on Aug. 30.
Pilot Flying J opened a new Pilot Travel Center in Bartow, Fla., in August. The facility offers PJ Fresh proprietary foodservice; an Arby’s restaurant; 38 truck parking spots; six diesel lanes, two RV lanes and 10 gasoline fueling positions; three showers; laundry; CAT scale; Western Union; and a drivers’ lounge.
Net new stores: 4
Photograph courtesy of Shutterstock
Illinois
Speedway opened a new c-store in Lake in the Hills, Ill., on Aug. 30.
Net new stores: 1
Photograph courtesy of Shutterstock
Iowa
Waspy’s Truck Stop opened in Audubon, Iowa, on Aug. 27. The c-store features the Grab-and-Go Kitchen, which offer sandwiches, burgers, burritos and pizza, as well as pizza delivery. It also offers soft-serve ice cream, f’real milkshakes, a coffee bar, a bakery case, groceries and more. And it features a spirits area and cigar humidor. The site offers nine diesel fuel pumps; gas pumps with super, premium, unleaded and ethanol; one agricultural diesel pump with room for a tractor or combine; kerosene; a certified scale; truck parking; a truckers’ lounge; two showers; laundry; a car wash; an RV station; the Blue Grass Inn & Suites; and The Feed Mill full-service restaurant. It will open Waspy’s Truck Service Center, including four truck-wash bays, this fall.
Net new stores: 1
Photograph courtesy of Waspy's
Kansas
Bosselman Enterprises purchased the former Garden City Travel Plaza in Garden City, Kan., which opened in August as a Bosselman Travel Center and Boss Shop. It features two service bays, 177 truck parking stalls, 35 RV parking stalls, a CAT Scale, Transflo scanning, 10 showers, a drivers' lounge and theater, laundry, game room, Western Union services and the Garden City RV Park. A Little Caesars Express, Krispy Krunchy Chicken and an expanded line of drink and deli offerings are coming soon.
Net new stores: 0
Photograph courtesy of Shutterstock
Minnesota
Kwik Trip opened a new truckstop and c-store in Willmar, Minn., on Aug. 16.
Net new stores: 1
Photograph courtesy of Shutterstock
New Hampshire
C-store owner Jay Patel has bought Grazi’s Newport Meat Market inNewport, N.H., from Graziela Cafua, who had been running the business since 2013. He is rebranding the fuel from CITGO to an unbranded label that he will sell under the name Yoshi, which is Japanese for “good luck.” He said the market will be called Newport Meat Market. It will continue to offer Brothers Donuts. He said he may change the layout inside the store.
Net new stores: 1
Photograph courtesy of Shutterstock
New Jersey
The City of Newark, N.J., joined with Fidelco Group Chairman Marc Berson and owner/manager Jagat Parikh to open Krauszer’s, a new c-store in downtown Newark, N.J., on Aug. 9, at the newly renovated 494 Broad Street office and business complex, owned and managed by The Fidelco Realty Group.
Net new stores: 1
Photograph courtesy of the City of Newark
New York
Cumberland Farms opened a new c-store in Monroe, N.Y., on Aug. 8.
Franchisees have terminated the lease on a 7-Eleven c-store outside the Seward Park Co-op in New York, and the store closed on Aug. 31.
Stewart’s Shops opened six new c-stores in August: Troy, N.Y., on Aug. 8; Middletown, N.Y., and Berlin, N.Y., on Aug. 10; Granville, N.Y., on Aug. 17; Rome, N.Y., on Aug. 22; and Black River, N.Y., on Aug. 29.
Net new stores: 6
Photograph courtesy of Stewart's Shops
Oregon
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened a new travel stop Aug. 16 in Millersburg, Ore. The more than 8,000-square-foot facility features an Arby’s restaurant, 72 truck parking spots, seven showers, laundry facilities and a Love’s Truck Tire Care center.
Net new stores: 1
Photograph courtesy of Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores
Texas
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened a new travel stop Aug. 9 in Donna, Texas. The more than 11,000-square-foot facility features an Arby’s restaurant, 94 truck parking spots, eight showers, laundry facilities and a Love’s Truck Tire Care center.
Pilot Flying J opened a new Pilot Travel Center in Odessa, Texas, in August. The facility offers PJ Fresh proprietary foodservice; a Dunkin’ Donuts Express restaurant; 93 truck parking spots; eight diesel lanes, two recreational-vehicle lanes and 12 gasoline fueling positions; seven showers; laundry; CAT scale; Western Union; and a drivers’ lounge.
7-Eleven opened a new c-store near the University of Texas at Dallas on Aug. 23. It features Amazon lockers and will offer delivery to students. It also will roll out mobile-phone-based self-checkout. 7-Eleven field consultant Zain Abbass said an app will allow students to skip the line entirely. The store will also feature a beer cave, and a portion of the store will have dedicated wine shelving, housing a larger selection than is typical of 7-Eleven stores. As the store sells products through the coming months, it will adjust inventory to students’ tastes. Abbass said he expects to expand certain sections, such as cleaning supplies.
Net new stores: 3
Photograph courtesy of Shutterstock
Wisconsin
Kwik Trip opened a new c-store in West Bend, Wis., in mid-August and New Berlin, Wis., in late August.
Net new stores: 2
TOTAL NEW STORES FOR AUGUST 2018: 22
TOTAL NEW STORES FOR 2018: 220
To be sure your locations are listed in this roundup, please send new store announcements to Greg Lindenberg at glindenberg@winsightmedia.com.
Photograph courtesy of Kwik Trip