What's In Store: Openings & Closings

NATIONAL REPORT – The convenience store industry landscape is constantly changing as chains open and close stores each week. On a regular basis, Convenience Store News highlights these comings and goings in this special roundup.

Here are the latest company spotlights:

CEFCO Convenience Stores
CEFCO, based in Temple, Texas, reopened its existing site at 331 W. 1st St. in Claude, Texas -- the 10th prototype store reflecting the chain’s latest design for the next generation. The remodeled store now incorporates a number of innovative enhancements made possible by an open, fresh design with modern treatments and upgraded finishes.

CEFCO is the 30th largest company-operated chain in the convenience retailing industry, operating more than 250 stores in Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana and Arkansas. The retailer employs more than 2,500 team members chainwide.

NOCO Express
NOCO Express celebrated the grand opening of its newly rebuilt store at 1555 North French Road and Campbell Boulevard in Getzville, N.Y. This is the location where the family-owned and locally operated convenience store chain opened its first location in 1984. The former 1,530-square-foot store was demolished in June and has been replaced with a new state-of-the-art, 6,300-square-foot store to accommodate the needs of today’s on-the-go customers.

The location now features a variety of meal options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Open 24 hours daily, Tim Horton’s offers customers a selection of coffees, specialty beverages, sandwiches and baked goods. A drive-thru is available for added convenience. Also located within the new store is a Subway restaurant, open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., serving up breakfast, sandwich and salad options. In addition, a variety of fresh produce items are available daily.

The Getzville store features a line of specialty beverages, including fountain soda featuring flavor shots, f’real milkshakes, Slush Puppie ice drinks, and other frozen beverages. Customers can enjoy their sandwich or beverage in a café-like seating area that offers free Wi-Fi and national news television programming.

The store was constructed with several environmentally friendly building technologies to reduce energy consumption. These include low-wattage LED lighting, a refrigeration energy management system, and white roofing for increased light reflectivity. A light harvesting system was installed and utilizes 16 skylights that allow natural light into the store. There is an energy management control system that automatically dims the store lighting fixtures during the peak daylight hours on an as needed basis. The store is also equipped with the mechanical infrastructure to accommodate electrical charging stations in the future.

NOCO Express operates 35 stores throughout western New York.

QuickChek Corp.
Continuing its commitment to long-term, steady growth, QuickChek will open its newest store in Wayne, N.J., on Oct. 29. The Whitehouse Station, N.J.-based convenience store chain will debut a new 6,296-square-foot store at 442 Pompton Road at the foothills of William Paterson University.

The Wayne store is expected to create 35 to 50 new jobs, with most of the people hired living locally. A typical new QuickChek store generates approximately $1 million in tax revenue, adding to the positive impact on the local economy, according to the retailer.

QuickChek’s “Made Fresh for You” food and beverage program will be offered at the new store and features oven-toasted subs and fresh-baked goods, with the company priding itself on its fresh-brewed coffee using a wide variety of coffees roasted under its proprietary select blend. The new Wayne store will also feature a Q Café offering handcrafted smoothies, lattes and espresso; indoor and outdoor patio seating; eight fuel stations; and 84 parking spaces.

QuickChek operates 137 locations throughout New Jersey and southern New York, including 12 pharmacy stores and 43 locations with fuel.

Turkey Hill Minit Markets
A newly constructed 4,000-square-foot store at 320 North Furnace Road in Birdsboro, Pa., opened Sept. 12, with Turkey Hill Minit Markets bringing its most up-to-date features to the area. The company celebrated the milestone with grand-opening festivities, product specials, giveaways and chances to win prizes.

The new store gives Birdsboro residents and visitors a convenient new place to take advantage of everyday fuel savings, grab a fresh, hot meal, or shop for essential grocery and household items. Customers visiting the store through Oct. 12 could enter for a chance to win a $500 Turkey Hill gift card.

With 24-hour, seven-day service, the new store provides six gasoline filling stations and carries hundreds of grocery items at grocery store prices -- all in the vibrant atmosphere of the store's bright, contemporary décor. Foodservice offerings include a menu of more than 100 fresh, grab-and-go meal and snack options from the Real Time Café, including hot breakfast sandwiches, cheeseburgers, subs, deli sandwiches, pizza, hot dogs, smoked sausages and more.

The store also offers a variety of fresh-brewed coffee flavors, blends and cappuccinos. Extensive refreshment and frozen product offerings include abundant choices of ice-cold fountain drinks and slushies, and a wide selection of Turkey Hill-brand ice cream, iced tea and drinks.

At the pumps, Turkey Hill Rewards cardholders can save 3 cents per gallon instantly with every fill-up and have a variety of other ways to earn points quickly toward fuel savings of up to $1 per gallon. Customers can also use their rewards cards to earn free items as they accumulate purchases in featured club product categories.

Wawa Inc.
Wawa celebrated the grand opening of its newest northern New Jersey store, which also signifies the chain’s first location in Bergen County. Located at 150 Essex St. in Lodi, N.J., this location is the third new Wawa store to open in 2013 in the North Jersey region.

As an exciting historic first for both Wawa and the state of New Jersey, this new store features Wawa’s first self-serve lottery terminal in the state.

The grand opening took place Oct. 4 and continued the company’s partnership with the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, through its helping Hoagie Campaign. As Wawa opens each new store in northern New Jersey, it has committed to donating a portion of hoagie sales (up to $5,000 per store) to the food bank, where it will be earmarked for the Kids’ Café program. Wawa also committed to donating $1,000 to two local Lodi food pantries to help them restock before the holidays and further fight hunger in the community.