What's In Store: CEFCO, Parker's & RaceTrac
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.
CEFCO Convenience Stores
CEFCO Convenience Stores welcomed customers back to its c-store at 3905 Bonham Street in Paris, Texas. This is CEFCO's second rebuild in 2020.
The location offers hot and cold food items, including Fresh Yo self-service frozen yogurt, CEFCO Kitchen made-to-order burritos, and other CEFCO Kitchen food offerings, as well as Hunt Brothers Pizza. Measuring roughly 6,000 square foot on nearly 3.5 acres, the store also features eight multi-product dispensers and four truck diesel lanes on the forecourt.
This is CEFCO's fourth location in Paris, which is open 24 hours. A fifth location is planned for early 2021.
Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores
Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores is now serving customers at several new locations.
At more than 12,000 square feet, the 24-hour Love's Travel Stop in Tuscola, Ill., offers 85 truck parking spaces, 52 car parking spaces, and four RV parking spaces. It features a Hardee's, eight diesel bays, seven showers, laundry facilities, a Fresh Kitchen concept, Mobile to Go Zone and a dog park. It also includes a Love's Truck Care with on-site Speedco.
The Love's Travel Stop in Madras, Ore., measures more than 11,000 square feet. It offers 82 truck parking spaces, 61 car parking spaces and four RV parking spaces. It features diesel bays, five showers, laundry facilities, an Arby's, a Mobile to Go Zone and a dog park.
At more than 17,000 square feet, the Mount Juliet, Tenn., location offers 94 truck parking spaces, 71 car parking spaces and two RV parking spaces. It features nine diesel bays, nine showers, laundry facilities, a Petro's Chili and Chips, Godfather's Pizza, Hardee's, a Fresh Kitchen concept, a Mobile to Go Zone and a dog park. It also includes a Love's Truck Care with on-site Speedco.
The Love's Travel Stop in Cordes Junction, Ariz., measures more than 12,000 square feet. It offers 57 truck parking spaces, 85 car parking spaces and three RV parking spaces. The location features eight diesel bays, eight showers, laundry facilities, an Arby's, Godfather's Pizza, Fresh Kitchen concept, Mobile to Go Zone and a dog park. It also includes a Love's Truck Care with on-site Speedco.
Parker's
Parker's opened a Parker's Kitchen location at 8108 Windsor Hill Blvd. in North Charleston, S.C., on Nov. 12. This is the eighth Parker's Kitchen to open in the metro Charleston area, with additional stores in Charleston, Summerville, Monck's Corner and Goose Creek, S.C.
The new location offers a full menu of fresh, made-from-scratch Southern food, and the entire menu is handcrafted on-site from the freshest ingredients by Parker's Kitchen chefs. Additional highlights include freshly brewed sweet tea, lemonade, bean-to-cup gourmet coffee, 28-degree beer, and fountain drinks with Chewy Ice. The Parker's Kitchen also features a range of convenience items and fuel options, including marine fuel.
RaceTrac
RaceTrac officially opened its newest store location in San Antonio, Fla., on Nov. 12. The c-store feature three lanes for high-flow diesel with bulk diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), 20 fueling positions and a single row gas canopy to serve small to mid-sized fleet drivers.
Each new RaceTrac store is bright, welcoming and conveniently located with a clean, well-lit parking lot to fit all customer's needs, the company stated. Inside, RaceTrac also offers a wide selection of on-the-go food and beverage favorites.
Rutter's
Rutter's is completed the remodel and expansion to its Hanover, Pa., location. During the renovations, the store underwent a complete interior remodel with the addition of more than 2,700 square feet. The convenience retailer added their 29-degree beer cave, wine and Spiked Slushies, upgraded the kitchen, created a new check-out area, and increased the size of the restrooms.
The Hanover location also received a fuel upgrade, with the additions of auto diesel and ethanol-free gasoline, adding to Rutter's existing Top Tier gasoline offerings.
Rutter's has several other construction projects scheduled for the remainder of 2020, including upgrades and remodels at several Pennsylvania locations, including West York, Red Lion, Strinestown and Middletown. The Pennsylvania-based chain has six new store openings planned for 2021, along with more than 10 remodels.
TravelCenters of America Inc.
TravelCenters of America Inc. opened a new TA Express in Carthage, Texas, a franchise operated by Brian Hatchett. The site, formerly Gateway Travel Plaza, is located on Interstate 20 and U.S. Highway 59.
The site contains five diesel fueling positions with RFID and DEF on all lanes; 16 Exxon gasoline fueling lanes; 50 truck parking and 100 auto parking spaces; four private showers; laundry facilities; a travel store; a gaming room; and Transflo scanning. Dining options are a Denny's and an on-site deli.
"We've spent many years working hard to build a network of businesses that our customers can trust and rely on," Hatchett siad. "It's been a pleasure being a franchisee of TravelCenters of America and we look forward to continuing our growth with the company."
This is the third travel center The Gateway Group has converted to a TA Express in 2020. The team opened a TA Express in Kilgore, Texas, in January and another in Nacogdoches, Texas, in June. They plan to continue their growth with the company and open a TA travel center in Fairfield, Texas, next year.
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