Yesway Earns Breakout Retailer Recognition
FORT WORTH, Texas — After earning the Top Women in Convenience Corporate Empowerment Award last year, Texas-based Yesway recently took home another honor, getting selected as one of four winners of the 2024 Breakout Retailer Awards by Chain Store Age (CSA), a sister publication to Convenience Store News.
"The Breakout Retailer Award recognizes retail, restaurant and nontraditional specialty concepts that are investing in innovation and growth in brick-and-mortar," said CSA editor-in-chief Marianne Wilson. "The honored companies understand the critical role physical retail in today's omnichannel world."
CSA cited multiple reasons for choosing the c-store retailer for the prestigious award. Not only has the company grown consistently over nearly a decade through both organic growth and acquisitions, it hasn't been afraid to experiment with format, tailoring its locations to the specific needs of the community.
As an example, the outlet pointed to the launch of the company's small format stores under the Allsup's Express banner, which opened its first location across from the campus of Texas Tech University in 2022. The 3,000-square-foot, bodega-style store has a merchandise assortment focused on student customers, ranging from hot to-go meals to wine and beer.
Going smaller while many retailers would go bigger, CSA also noted the opening of Yesway's first Allsup's Express Grab and Go inside Gate 4 on the main concourse at the Texas Motor Speedway, which hosts NASCAR and IndyCar races, along with special events. The 1,600-square-foot store features mobile checkout and carries the basics for a crowd looking to grab a bite to eat without missing out on the action in the stands.
Yesway still plans to continue growing its footprint. The company recently held grand openings for its first two stores in Oklahoma, with at least another 13 targeted for opening by the end of 2024.
Founded in 2015 by Brookwood Financial Partners, Fort Worth-based Yesway's c-store portfolio includes 435 stores in Texas, New Mexico, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming, Oklahoma and Nebraska. It operates primarily under the Yesway and Allsup's brands.
Chain Store Age and Convenience Store News are properties of EnsembleIQ.