Thorntons is ranked in Forbes’ top 500 privately held companies, with more than $2.3 billion in revenue from its convenience store division and petroleum-transportation fleet. It is one of largest privately held corporations in Kentucky.
Founded in 1971, the company has targeted growth in Nashville and Chicago among other areas. In December 2012, the company opened its first Florida location, in Clearwater. It intends to build 15 to 20 stores in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area over the next three years.
Thorntons’ c-store format has grown over time. In the 1980s, Thorntons transitioned from kiosk locations to convenience stores and grew to more than 100 locations. Then in 2002, the company introduced a larger facility with an expanded fast-food program, a corner-grocery concept and clean restrooms.
Thorntons participated in the 10th annual CSP/Service Intelligence Mystery Shop in 2014. Click here to see Thorntons' mystery-shop report card.
| Headquarters: | Louisville, Kentucky |
|---|---|
| No. of Stores: | 172 |
| Average Store Size: | 4,000-plus sq. ft. |
| Rank: | 52 |
| States of Operation: | Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee |