New Convenience-Store Roundup for August 2019
By Greg Lindenberg on Sep. 14, 2019CHICAGO — This edition of New Convenience-Store Roundup features new c-store openings, closings and more that took place in August 2019.
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. 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. Many are part of CSP’s new 2019 Top 202 list of c-store chains by size. Some of the owners and operators are new entrepreneurs, and some are industry veterans.
Unless otherwise mentioned, 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 …
California
Cahill's Patriot full-service filling station in Arcata, Calif., closed its doors Aug. 30. "Now is the time to do this," said Scott Cahill, who has run the station since his father's death in 2012. Rather than pay $600,000 to bring his underground storage tanks into compliance with newer regulations, he's shutting down. "It's time for us to get out," he said.
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. It also does not include store openings previously reported in CSP Daily News.
Florida
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened a new location in Lake Wales, Fla., on Aug. 29. The more than 8,000-square-foot store features Chester’s Chicken, Godfather’s Pizza and Subway restaurants and bean-to-cup coffee. It also has five showers, laundry facilities and a Mobile to Go Zone with the latest electronics. It has seven diesel bays, 69 truck parking spaces, 71 car parking spaces, a Love’s Truck Tire Care center, CAT scales and a dog park.
Net new stores: 1
Georgia
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened a new location in Commerce, Ga., on Aug. 29. The more than 13,000-square-foot store features Dunkin', Godfather’s Pizza and Subway restaurants and bean-to-cup coffee. It also has eight showers and laundry facilities. It has nine diesel bays, 114 truck parking spaces, 81 car parking spaces, seven RV parking spaces, a Speedco truck services facility, CAT scales and a dog park.
Net new stores: 1
Hawaii
Illinois
Foxtrot Delivery Market opened a new c-store Aug. 6 in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood.
Casey’s General Stores opened a new c-store in Rockford, Ill., on Aug. 8.
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened a new location in Atkinson, Ill., on Aug. 22. The store features Chester’s Chicken, Godfather’s Pizza and Subway restaurants and bean-to-cup coffee. It also has seven showers, laundry facilities and a Mobile to Go Zone with the latest electronics. It has eight diesel bays, 137 truck parking spaces, 74 car parking spaces, a Speedco truck services facility and CAT scales.
Net new stores: 3
Indiana
Iowa
Kwik Trip opened Kwik Star c-stores in Ankeny, Iowa, on Aug. 24, and in Muscatine, Iowa, during the last week in August.
Net new stores: 2
Kentucky
Dusty's Auto Care, a full-service Marathon gas station in Bowling Green, Ky., closed Aug. 9 after 42 years.
Thorntons opened a new c-store in Louisville, Ky., on Aug. 15. The 1.91-acre site has a 4,400-square-foot store and 16 fueling positions.
Net new stores: 0
Massachusetts
A Petro Save gas station in Brockton, Mass., opened Aug. 19. A customer’s gas tank overflowed and the car caught fire, forcing staff to turn on emergency extinguishers located above the pumps. The station was forced to close for the day, and a city fire inspector allowed the station to reopen Aug. 20.
The Falmouth Convenience Store opened in August in Falmouth, Mass. Izhar “Izzy” Haq owns the family-run business. “I have a lot of friends in town, and I have learned and gotten ideas from them. This is a good opportunity to serve this great community,” he said. Haq moved to Falmouth from Pakistan with his family at age 17. He has worked “with good people” in the c-store business all over Cape Cod. Friends and colleagues are now supporting Haq’s new business venture by spreading word of its location on social media.
Net new stores: 2
Minnesota
Kwik Trip opened a new c-store in St. Francis, Minn., on Aug. 24.
Hy-Vee opened a new Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh c-store Aug. 26 in Lakeville, Minn. The 6,500-square-foot store features a Starbucks coffee with drive-thru, Nori Sushi, Mia Pizza wood-oven pizza and Hy-Vee Aisles Online Pickup.
Net new stores: 2
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
A CITGO-branded Fuel-On c-store in Ridgway, Pa., opened in early August under a new owner after being closed for more than a year.
Sheetz opened a new c-store in Brownsville, Pa., on Aug. 29.
Net new stores: 2
South Carolina
On the Go, a c-store in Florence, S.C., opened Aug. 1. Owners Johnny and George Rishmawi said the store’s kitchen offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, including fried chicken, pork chops and barbecue ribs and meatloaf. “We cook different food every day,” Johnny Rishmawi said.
Spinx opened new c-stores in Greenville, S.C., on Aug. 15 and Summerville, S.C., on Aug 22.
Parker’s opened a new c-store in Monck’s Corner, S.C., on Aug. 28.
Net new stores: 4
Tennessee
Thorntons opened a new travel center in Kingston Springs, Tenn., on Aug. 22. The 3.55-acre site has a 5,500-square-foot store, 22 fueling positions, five diesel bays, 10 truck parking spaces and CAT scales.
Net new stores: 1
Texas
QuikTrip opened a new c-store in Sunnyvale, Texas, on Aug. 1.
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened a new location in Brownsville, Texas, on Aug. 8. The store features Chester’s Chicken, Godfather’s Pizza and Subway restaurants and bean-to-cup coffee. It also has four showers, laundry facilities and a Mobile to Go Zone with the latest electronics. It has five diesel bays, 39 truck parking spaces and CAT scales.
Net new stores: 2
Virginia
Wisconsin
Casey’s General Stores purchased a BP gas station in Janesville, Wis. The BP station closed Aug. 20 to allow Casey’s to transition into the site, which reopened Aug. 22.
Net new stores: 0
Washington
Maverik opened a new c-store in Spokane, Wash., on Aug. 1. The new location offers a 4,300-square-foot store featuring the chain's Bonfire brand of hot foods in addition to traditional convenience-store staples.
Net new stores: 1
TOTAL NEW STORES FOR AUGUST 2019: 26
TOTAL NEW STORES FOR 2019: 158
To be sure your locations are listed in upcoming roundups, please send new-store announcements to Greg Lindenberg at glindenberg@winsightmedia.com.