New Convenience-Store Roundup for October 2019
New Convenience-Store Roundup for October 2019
By Greg Lindenberg on Nov. 14, 2019CHICAGO — This edition of New Convenience-Store Roundup features new c-store openings, closings and more that took place in October 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 …
Alabama
In early October, Tri Star Energy opened a White Bison Cafe and Twice Daily c-store in Madison, Ala.
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened a new location in Eutaw, Ala., on Oct. 24. It features a more than 8,000-square-foot store with Chester’s Chicken, Godfather’s Pizza and Hardee’s restaurants, Mobile to Go Zone for electronics, seven showers and laundry facilities; eight diesel bays; 96 truck, 74 car and three RV parking spaces; CAT scale; Speedco location; and a dog park.
Net new stores*: 2
*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.
California
In early October, Sycuan Tribal Development Corp. opened Sycuan Market, a 5,500-square-foot c-store and 1,600-square-foot gas station, in El Cajon, Calif.
Net new stores: 1
Colorado
Choice Market opened a new c-store Oct. 17 in the Denver Housing Authority headquarters. Its full-service, “fully scratch” kitchen offers and delivers locally sourced food.
Net new stores: 1
Connecticut
Petals Market, a c-store in New Haven, Conn., opened Oct. 14. Restaurateur and store owner Gideon Gibreyesus is an adviser to the Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology, a culinary-arts and behavioral-sciences job-training organization. There will be a strong link between Petals and the center, he said.
Net new stores: 1
Florida
Wawa opened a new c-store in Jacksonville, Fla., on Oct. 10. It also opened a new c-store in Naples, Fla., on Oct. 17, its 200th store in the Sunshine State. To mark the occasion, every Florida store featured a specialty beverage called The Wawa Florida Sunrise, a combination of lemonade, orange juice and strawberry, through the end of October. The chain donated $25,000 of the proceeds to Feeding Florida Foodbanks. Wawa also opened two other c-stores on the same day: a 6,100-square-foot location in Nokomis, Fla., and a 6,000-square-foot store in Ormond Beach, Fla.
Net new stores: 4
Georgia
Illinois
Quick N Save opened Oct. 1 in Loves Park, Ill. The owners plan to add slot machine gaming.
Speedway opened a new c-store in Williamsville, Ill., on Oct. 16.
Thorntons opened a new store in Romeoville, Ill., on Oct. 24.
Net new stores: 3
Iowa
Maryland
Massachusetts
Nouria Energy opened its new flagship location Oct. 29 at Boston Logan Airport. The 5,000-square-foot c-store features unique architecture; a brighter, more spacious layout; community-inspired graphics; and amenities such as a drive-thru and indoor and outdoor seating. It also features a Starbucks and a Meridian Market Italian restaurant. The Shell-branded gas station has 16 fueling stations and two electric-vehicle charging stations.
Net new stores: 1
Michigan
Alimentation Couche-Tard opened a Circle K c-store Oct. 5 in Kalamazoo, Mich..
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened its 500th location Oct. 10 in St. Clair, Mich. It features a more than 8,000-square-foot store with McDonald’s and Subway restaurants, Mobile to Go Zone for electronics, five showers and laundry facilities; nine diesel bays; 104 truck, 88 car and four RV parking spaces; CAT scale; Speedco location; and a dog park.
Net new stores: 2
Minnesota
Hy-Vee opened a new Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh c-store and gas station in Maple Grove, Minn., on Oct. 15.
Net new stores: 1
Mississippi
Missouri
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened a new location Oct. 31 in Willow Springs, Mo. It features a more than 7,000-square-foot store with a McDonald’s restaurant, Mobile to Go Zone for electronics, two showers and laundry facilities; six diesel bays; 55 truck, 52 car and three RV parking spaces; CAT scale; and a dog park.
Net new stores: 1
Montana
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened a new location Oct. 24 in Missoula, Mont. It features a more than 7,000-square-foot store with a casino, Hardee’s restaurant, Mobile to Go Zone for electronics, five showers and laundry facilities; eight diesel bays; 58 truck, 68 car and three RV parking spaces; CAT scale; Love’s Truck Tire Care with Speedco lane; and a dog park.
Net new stores: 1
New Hampshire
The Common Man Roadside c-store opened Oct. 24 in the Hooksett Welcome Center along Interstate 93 in Hooksett, N.H.
Net new stores: 1
New Jersey
Wawa opened a new c-store Oct. 10 in Brooklawn, N.J., closing a nearby store in Bellmawr, N.J., on the same day. The company also opened a new c-store Oct. 17 in Cherry Hill, N.J.
QuickChek opened a new, 6,805-square-foot c-store Oct. 29 in Commack, N.J. It features indoor seating for 11 people, eight gas pumps with 16 fueling positions and 61 parking spaces.
Net new stores: 2
New York
Stewart’s Shops opened a new c-store Oct. 18 in South Boonville, N.Y. It is about half the size of a typical Stewart’s Shop. Also on Oct. 18, it opened a new c-store in Queensbury, N.Y. The company also opened a new c-store Oct. 30 in Latham, N.Y.
Net new stores: 3
Ohio
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened its 500th location Oct. 10 in Edon, Ohio. It features a more than 8,000-square-foot store with an Arby’s restaurant, Mobile to Go Zone for electronics, seven showers and laundry facilities; nine diesel bays; 111 truck, 63 car and four RV parking spaces; CAT scale; Speedco location; and a dog park.
Casey’s General Stores opened a new c-store Oct. 24 in Lima, Ohio.
Net new stores: 2
Pennsylvania
Weis Gas N’ Go in Lebanon, Pa., opened for business Oct. 4. The station has six fuel dispensers for gasoline and diesel.
Royal Farms opened a new c-store Oct. 14 in York, Pa.
On Oct. 15, Rutter’s opened a new c-store in Leesport, Pa. It features 16 automobile fueling pumps and five truck diesel fueling lanes.
Net new stores: 3
South Carolina
Parker’s opened two new Parker’s Kitchen c-stores Oct. 23 in Goose Creek, S.C., and Summerville, S.C. Both stores feature the company’s Charleston-inspired architectural design with Lowcountry-style brick, metal roofs, twin entrances and indoor and outdoor seating. The stores offer regular, midgrade, premium, diesel and marine fuel under mansard-style fuel canopies and “green screens” of star jasmine that will create walls of greenery on both sides of the fueling area. The Summerville location, located in the Market at Cane Bay shopping center in the Cane Bay Plantation community, also includes a golf cart path as well as golf cart parking.
Spinx opened a c-store Oct. 24 in Easley, S.C. It features a Ride ‘N Shine Tunnel Wash with free vacuums.
Net new stores: 3
Tennessee
RaceTrac Petroleum opened a new c-store Oct. 23 in Gallatin, Tenn.
On Oct. 31, Tri Star Energy opened a White Bison Cafe and Twice Daily c-store in Nashville, Tenn.
Net new stores: 2
Texas
Pilot Flying J opened a new Pilot Travel Center in Odessa, Texas, in early October. It features 12 gasoline fueling positions and five diesel lanes; 15 truck parking spaces; PJ Fresh pizza and homestyle meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner; Dunkin' Donuts self-serve; public laundry; three showers; and a CAT scale.
A new c-store, Feed Me Pronto, opened Oct. 14 in Victory Park in Dallas. CEO Morgan Pieper said she has become “obsessed” with the c-store industry and has devoted two-and-a-half years to opening the new store. "I want to overhaul the convenience industry," she said. "We see this industry as stuck in the 1950s." The 1,200-square-foot store sells 600 prepackaged, single-serving, grab-and-go products including chips, popcorn and jerky from smaller companies with healthier, more eco-friendly food. It has a self-serve acai machine from Sambazon; a vegan frozen yogurt station with Cocowhip; and beverage stations selling Maine Root sodas, Holy Kombucha and Chameleon cold-brew coffee. Other items include protein bars, chickpea-crusted chicken tenders, CBD gummies, frozen cauliflower pizza and vegan sweet potato doughnuts. The fresh items are made in a kitchen attached to the shop.
A new 76 gas station opened in Austin, Texas, in late October.
Net new stores: 3
TOTAL NEW STORES FOR OCTOBER 2019: 41
TOTAL NEW STORES FOR 2019: 229
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.