Lottery

A fast-growing convenience store operator has announced a major hiring initiative.   Sheetz said it is looking to hire more than 3,400 employees companywide. The hiring initiative aims to increase Sheetz's total employee count and number of full-time positions by creating and filling jobs at stores throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina.   

7-Eleven is in the process of widening its presence in New Jersey from the New York City suburbs to southern shore towns.   The convenience store chain’s leasing company in the area, R.J. Brunelli, says it is searching for 2,800-sq.-ft. to 3,000-sq.-ft. free-standing or end cap units in Union, Ocean, Monmouth, Mercer, and Middlesex counties. Suburban sites must be situated on roads with minimum traffic counts of 15,000 vehicles a day and must have lot sizes of at least 12,000 sq. ft. to accommodate 10 parking spaces.

Wawa has big plans for the Sunshine State.    The privately-owned, Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain plans to open 25 to 30 stores every year throughout Florida during the next several years.   In 2017, Wawa will start its push into the southeast part of the state, with a first wave of stores opening in Palm Beach and Broward Counties.  

Casey’s General Stores continues to grow its store portfolio.   The Iowa-based convenience-store operator currently has 39 new stores, 22 replacement stores, and 37 major remodel stores under construction.       Looking ahead, Casey’s has 84 sites under contract for future new store construction and 15 acquisition stores under contract to purchase.     

On the heels of the biggest deal in its history, Canada’s Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has entered into yet another deal to expand its U.S. footprint.   The retailer has signed an agreement to buy 53 stores in Louisiana, primarily in the Baton Rouge market, from American General Investments and North American Financial Group for an undisclosed price.    

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. is expanding its U.S. portfolio yet again.   In its biggest acquisition to date, the Canadian convenience store retailer has agreed to buy CST Brands Inc. for $48.53 per share in cash, with the total deal valued at $4.4 billion, including debt.   Couche-Tard operates more than 12,000 locations globally under several brands, including Circle K. Last year, Couche-Tard acquired The Pantry for about $1.7 billion, including debt, adding more than 1,500 stores to its U.S. footprint.

Sheetz is opening four stores in four different states.   The family-owned convenience store chain announced four new locations: Morgantown, West Virginia; Morrisville, North Carolina; St. Clairsville, Ohio; and Bethel, Pennsylvania. All will open by July, 7.  

Circle K Stores Inc., a division of Alimentation Couche-Tard, has purchased 62 convenience stores in nine states from Dallas-based Greatstone Equities Inc., according to the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report.

The deal includes locations in Arizona, California, Florida, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Texas and Washington, the report said.

Westlake, Ohio -- TravelCenters of America has completed its previously disclosed acquisition of 33 convenience store locations in northern Illinois.

The company expects the stores, which average approximately 3,400 sq. ft., will be rebranded as Minit Mart convenience stores and the sites will undergo improvements in the coming months.

TravelCenters of America operates some 370 convenience stores under the Minit Mart, TA and Petro Stopping Centers brands.
 

Dallas - 7-Eleven Inc. is taking its business to Vietnam.

The company has signed a master franchise agreement with Seven System Vietnam Co. Ltd. to develop and operate 7-Eleven stores in Vietnam, with the first stores expected to open in 2017. Seven Systems plans to construct 7-Eleven stores, convert existing locations to the 7-Eleven brand supported by enhanced infrastructure, and eventually franchise operations to local businesspeople.