New Convenience-Store Roundup for August 2020
New Convenience-Store Roundup for August 2020
By Greg Lindenberg on Sep. 01, 2020CHICAGO — This edition of New Convenience-Store Roundup features new-to-industry c-store openings and closings that took place in August 2020.
New-store openings as captured by CSP's count have been down for much of this year from typical monthly totals, likely reflecting the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to affect retail. While c-stores, as officially designated essential businesses, remain open, the uncertainly surrounding the pandemic could be leading to a pause on store expansion. But the August count appears to be returning to pre-pandemic levels. Large chains appear to be continuing some expansion despite the pandemic’s drag on overall growth, and the monthly count is trending upward again for chains as well as for smaller operators.
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 of CSP’s Top 202 ranking 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 …
Alaska
Delta Western opened a new gas station and convenience store off the Juneau-Douglas Bridge in Juneau, Ak., on Aug. 8. It offers gasoline and diesel fuel, propane exchange, convenience and grocery service, select automotive supplies, assistance by station attendant and bagged ice.
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.
California
Yreka Truck Stop opened off of Interstate 5 in Yreka, Calif., in mid-August. The facility includes a c-store, liquor store and a food court with Indian and Chinese food. Yreka Punjabi Dhaba is already open, and the operator expects Manchu Wok to be open in a few weeks.
Net new stores: 1
Colorado
Florida
Wawa opened two new c-stores in Gainesville, Fla., on Aug. 6, including the chain’s first non-fuel location in Florida. The stores include a new grocery section.
Walmart opened a new gas station and 1,440-square-foot c-store on Aug. 12 in Bradenton, Fla., in the parking lot of a Walmart Supercenter.
Petroleum Realty (PRIP) opened a new Valero-branded gas station and convenience store with Cool Clean car wash in Boca Raton, Fla., on Aug. 27
Net new stores: 4
Georgia
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened a new location in Madison, Ga., off U.S. Interstate 20, on Aug. 20. The more than 17,000-square-foot facility—the chain’s largest—has four diesel bays and 108 truck, 80 car and six RV parking spaces. It features a Godfather’s Pizza and Hardee’s restaurants, Fresh Kitchen foodservice, bean-to-cup coffee, nine showers, laundry facilities, a Mobile to Go Zone for electronics, a CAT scale, Love's Truck Care with on-site Speedco and a dog park.
Parker Cos. opened a new Parker’s Kitchen c-store in Savannah, Ga., on Aug. 20. It offers a selection of the company’s Southern-style, made-from-scratch food, including hot and cold grab-and-go options as well as a hot bar with signature items like never-frozen, antibiotic-free, double-breaded Southern Fried Chicken Tender, mac ‘n’ cheese, jalapeno cornbread and a complete menu of breakfast offerings, from egg casserole to sausage, egg and cheese biscuits. A wide range of items are prepared fresh on-site and are available seven days a week.
Net new stores: 1
Illinois
Thorntons opened a new c-store in Joliet, Ill., on Aug. 6.
A new 7-Eleven c-store opened in Woodridge, Ill., on Aug. 6
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened a new location in Monmouth, Ill., off U.S. Highway 34, on Aug. 27. The more than 12,000-square-foot facility has four diesel bays and 87 truck, 66 car and three RV parking spaces. It features a Chester’s Chicken and Godfather’s Pizza restaurants, Fresh Kitchen foodservice, bean-to-cup coffee, six showers, laundry facilities, a Mobile to Go Zone for electronics, a CAT scale and a dog park.
Net new stores: 3
Iowa
Kentucky
New Jersey
QuickChek closed a c-store in Garwood, N.J., on Aug. 21. The company did not renew the lease.
Wawa opened a new c-store in Belleville, N.J., on Aug. 27.
Net new stores: 0
New York
A new Lakeport Market opened in Chittenango, N.Y., on Aug. 1.
Gasland Petroleum opened a new Mobil gas station and 3,500-square-foot c-store in Walden, N.Y., in early August. The new location features eight fueling positions, including gasoline and diesel.
Farm Stores opened a new drive-thru c-store in Smithtown, N.Y., on Long Island, on Aug. 13.
Global Partners opened a new Alltown Fresh convenience market in Schenectady, N.Y., on Aug. 19. It features fresh food and made-to-order meals including organic, natural, gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options made with locally sourced ingredients. The 4,800-square-foot market is designed to create a farmstand-like experience with a menu of healthy options such as all-day breakfast, salads, smoothies, sandwiches, bowls and more. Customers have options such as the Southwest Scramble made with cage-free eggs with cream, roasted peppers, corn, onions, cilantro, lime, black bean smash and salsa roja; fresh falafel filled with eggplant, arugula, tomato and cucumber; or falafel fritters, garlic hummus and zhoug on a whole-wheat wrap. It also features organic fair-trade coffee with locally roasted beans.
Net new stores: 4
North Carolina
Sheetz opened a new, 4,900-square-foot c-store in Fayetteville, N.C., on Aug. 19.
Orrum Grocery and Grill opened in Orrum, N.C., on Aug. 24 under new ownership in the former Orrum General Store, which had been closed since 2016. It also offers gasoline.
Net new stores: 2
Ohio
Sheetz opened a new c-store in Boardman, Ohio, on Aug. 13.
Truck World, a new gas station and truckstop, opened in mid-August in Conneaut, Ohio. It includes a Burger King restaurant and a bistro.
Net new stores: 2
Pennsylvania
Sheetz opened a new c-store in McCandless, Pa., on Aug. 13. The company agreed to a number of modifications to appease local residents opposed to the store, including an enclosure with 8-foot-high walls around the trash receptacles, an earthen mound with shrubs and trees on top to serve as a buffer between the gas station and residential properties, no external lighting of signs and installation of an opaque canopy over the fuel pumps with recessed lighting to remove glare, lower lighting poles that are adjacent to residential properties, prohibiting trash collection and fuel and product deliveries between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. and limiting outside dining to certain hours.
Farm Stores opened a new drive-thru c-store in East Goshen, Pa., on Aug. 13.
Net new stores: 2
South Carolina
FR Refuel opened a new Refuel Market in Mount Pleasant, S.C., on Aug. 5. The 4,300-square-foot c-store features the new, proprietary Hot N’ Crispy Chicken, as well as handmade boiled peanuts, bean-to-cup coffee, a selection of bottled wines and a beer cave. It has an outdoor seating area and offers contactless ordering and curbside pickup of hot meals and freshly prepared sides, snacks and more. Two self-checkout stations are also available in the store. The site has 20 fueling stations dispensing Shell brand gasoline and a car wash.
Net new stores: 1
Texas
Braum’s opened a new ice cream shop, quick-service restaurant and dairy c-store in Lubbock, Texas, on Aug. 25.
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened a new location in Kermit, Texas, off Texas Highway 302, on Aug. 27. The more than 11,000-square-foot facility has eight diesel bays and 99 truck, 87 car and three RV parking spaces. It features a Chester’s Chicken and McDonald’s restaurants, Fresh Kitchen foodservice, bean-to-cup coffee, eight showers, laundry facilities, a Mobile to Go Zone for electronics and a CAT scale.
QuikTrip opened a new c-store in New Braunfels, Texas, on Aug. 27.
Net new stores: 3
Virginia
Washington, D.C.
Wawa opened a new c-store in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 6.
Net new stores: 1
NEW STORES OPENED IN AUGUST 2020: 31
STORES CLOSED IN AUGUST 2020: 1
NET NEW STORES FOR AUGUST 2020: 30
TOTAL NET NEW STORES FOR 2020: 160
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.