AKRON, Ohio -- Circle K's Great Lakes Division acquired 26 stores in three states -- West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania -- from Chico Enterprises Inc. of Morgantown, W. Va., Bill Bartolomeo, Circle K's vice president, told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Seven of the stores are in western Pennsylvania -- including outlets in North Fayette and in Dunbar, Fayette County -- where Circle K already has 22 locations from Erie, south to Washington.

Western Pennsylvania is home to several other convenience store players, according to the newspaper. Other chains in the region include: CoGo's, with the most c-stores in the region at 78; Giant Eagle's GetGo, with 73 stores; Sunoco with 50 APlus stores; Handee Marts, with 21 7-Eleven stores; and Sheetz, with 68 stores.

In the Pittsburgh region, existing Circle K locations include stores on Brighton Road on the North Side, Butler Street in Lawrenceville, and in Sharpsburg, Ambridge, Aliquippa and Center. In 2005, a dozen Dairy Mart stores in the area were converted to the Circle K banner as Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. -- parent company to Circle K -- moved to create one national brand after acquiring Ohio-based Dairy Mart three years earlier.

Circle K's newly acquired North Fayette store sold for just less than $1.5 million, while the Fayette County store sold for $1.71 million, according to the Tribune. The North Fayette store on Market Place Drive operated under the All Star Express name.

Bartolomeo wouldn't provide the locations of the other Chico Enterprises' stores acquired by the chain, and declined to discuss plans for the stores or other possible acquisition sites.

Chico Enterprises, according to its website, also operates Chico's Bakery, August Environmental Services, CoCo IT Services, Squid Ink Graphics, and A2Z Construction Management.