Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores
Encyclopedia
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores (commonly referred to as 'Love’s') is a chain of more than 200 truck stop
and convenience store
s located in more than 30 states
.
an abandoned service station in Watonga, Oklahoma
, an hour northwest of Oklahoma City. They named their company Musket Corporation. Over the next 8 years Musket opened 40 additional gas stations. All of them operated under the Kerr-McGee
gasoline brand.
When the fuel crunch
of the early 1970s began and gasoline was in short supply in the United States, Tom Love diversified for the sake of the company’s success. He launched a new concept in Watonga: the “Mini Stop Country Store.” By adding a grocery line to their self-service fuel sales, Musket became one of the nation’s first to offer one-stop shopping for travelers. The Mini Stop was successful and the company quickly opened more stores in western Oklahoma.
In 1972, Musket set out to convert all of its locations from gas stations to convenience stores with self-serve gasoline. By 1973, the company began using the family name to identify its locations. Love’s Country Stores was the new name.
By 1978, Love’s Country Stores had 60 locations in small communities throughout Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. That year, the company began offering the Fresh Daily Deli – sandwiches made fresh daily on-location. The Fresh Daily Deli is today branded as Love’s Subs. Food Service became the company’s third profit center in each location, along with self-serve gasoline and convenience store items.
By the end of 1981, the company reached a milestone with 100 Love’s Country Stores locations in operation. The in-store decor was changed from the previous dark country look to a brighter theme. The same year, it opened the first Love’s Travel Stop on Interstate 40
in Amarillo, Texas
. The travel stop opened a new target audience
to Love's business; the addition of self-serve diesel fuel brought professional drivers
to Love’s. The Travel Stop was unique in that it served both the professional driver and the motoring public, resulting in more growth for Love’s.
In 1985, Love’s added gifts and novelties. Then in 1993, Taco Bell
became a partner, opening a co-branded location in Oklahoma City. The success of this partnership quickly grew.
In 1995, the company opened its first triple-branded food service operation in El Paso, Texas
. The location offered Subway
sandwiches, Taco Bell Express and Pizza Hut
pizza. Additional food service required additional square footage and additional labor. For the first time, the cost of building and staffing a Love’s Travel Stop exceeded $3 million.
In the late 1990s, food service continued to grow. Soon the company was partnering with an array of co-branded restaurant concepts, including Arby’s, Godfather’s Pizza, Hardee's
, Carl's Jr.
, Chester’s Chicken
, and Baskin Robbins.
In 2000, Sales & Marketing Executives International
awarded Love’s the 2000 Outlook Award, for innovation and outstanding contribution to the future of the convenience store industry.
Today Love’s operates more than 200 stores in more than 30 states. The current growth rate is about 15 – 20 store openings each year. In 2008, Forbes Magazine
ranked Love’s at No. 25 on its list of America’s largest private companies. Love’s debuted on the list at No. 446 in 2000.
On June 30, 2010 Love's acquired 20 Pilot Travel Centers
locations and six Flying J locations out of antitrust
concerns in order for the Federal Trade Commission
to approve the Pilot/Flying J merger.
Love's main competitors include Pilot Flying J, TravelCenters of America
, and T/A owned Petro Stopping Centers.
1972: The first Country Store opens in Guymon, Oklahoma
.
1978: Love's Country Stores Inc. is established.
1981: The first Travel Stop opens in Amarillo, Texas.
1986: The company is renamed Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores, Inc.
1990: Love's begins adding major branded fast-food franchises to Travel Stops.
1999: The 50th Travel Stop is opened.
2001: The company is renamed Love's Travel Stops and Country Stores, Inc.
2008: Love’s rises to No. 25 on the Forbes list of America’s largest private companies.
2011: Love's rises to No. 7 on the Forbes list of America’s largest private companies.
Rest area
A rest area, travel plaza, rest stop, or service area is a public facility, located next to a large thoroughfare such as a highway, expressway, or freeway at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting on to secondary roads...
and convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
s located in more than 30 states
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
In 1964 Tom and Judy Love spent $5,000 to leaseLease
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the lessee to pay the lessor for use of an asset. A rental agreement is a lease in which the asset is tangible property...
an abandoned service station in Watonga, Oklahoma
Watonga, Oklahoma
Watonga is a city in Blaine County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 4,658 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Blaine County.-Early History:...
, an hour northwest of Oklahoma City. They named their company Musket Corporation. Over the next 8 years Musket opened 40 additional gas stations. All of them operated under the Kerr-McGee
Kerr-McGee
The Kerr-McGee Corporation, founded in 1929, was an energy company involved in the exploration and production of oil and gas. On June 23, 2006, Houston-based Anadarko Petroleum Corporation agreed to acquire Kerr-McGee in an all-cash transaction totaling $16.5 billion plus the assumption of $2.6...
gasoline brand.
When the fuel crunch
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
of the early 1970s began and gasoline was in short supply in the United States, Tom Love diversified for the sake of the company’s success. He launched a new concept in Watonga: the “Mini Stop Country Store.” By adding a grocery line to their self-service fuel sales, Musket became one of the nation’s first to offer one-stop shopping for travelers. The Mini Stop was successful and the company quickly opened more stores in western Oklahoma.
In 1972, Musket set out to convert all of its locations from gas stations to convenience stores with self-serve gasoline. By 1973, the company began using the family name to identify its locations. Love’s Country Stores was the new name.
By 1978, Love’s Country Stores had 60 locations in small communities throughout Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. That year, the company began offering the Fresh Daily Deli – sandwiches made fresh daily on-location. The Fresh Daily Deli is today branded as Love’s Subs. Food Service became the company’s third profit center in each location, along with self-serve gasoline and convenience store items.
By the end of 1981, the company reached a milestone with 100 Love’s Country Stores locations in operation. The in-store decor was changed from the previous dark country look to a brighter theme. The same year, it opened the first Love’s Travel Stop on Interstate 40
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
in Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
. The travel stop opened a new target audience
Target audience
In marketing and advertising, a target audience, is a specific group of people within the target market at which the marketing message is aimed .....
to Love's business; the addition of self-serve diesel fuel brought professional drivers
Truck driver
A truck driver , is a person who earns a living as the driver of a truck, usually a semi truck, box truck, or dump truck.Truck drivers provide an essential service to...
to Love’s. The Travel Stop was unique in that it served both the professional driver and the motoring public, resulting in more growth for Love’s.
In 1985, Love’s added gifts and novelties. Then in 1993, Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
became a partner, opening a co-branded location in Oklahoma City. The success of this partnership quickly grew.
In 1995, the company opened its first triple-branded food service operation in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. The location offered Subway
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
sandwiches, Taco Bell Express and Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
pizza. Additional food service required additional square footage and additional labor. For the first time, the cost of building and staffing a Love’s Travel Stop exceeded $3 million.
In the late 1990s, food service continued to grow. Soon the company was partnering with an array of co-branded restaurant concepts, including Arby’s, Godfather’s Pizza, Hardee's
Hardee's
Hardee's is a restaurant chain, located mostly in the Southeast and Midwestern regions of the United States. It has evolved through several corporate ownerships since its establishment in 1960. It is currently owned and operated by CKE Restaurants. Along with its sibling restaurant chain, Carl's...
, Carl's Jr.
Carl's Jr.
Carl's Jr. is an American fast-food restaurant chain located mostly in the Western and Southwestern United States. The first store has opened in Canada in Kelowna, BC. They are in the process of expanding to Mexico, Malaysia, Denmark, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Russia, Vietnam,...
, Chester’s Chicken
Chester's International
Chester’s International, based in Birmingham, Alabama, is the fifth-largest fried chicken quick-service restaurant in the U.S. with more than 1,800 locations and operations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, and Canada.W.O...
, and Baskin Robbins.
In 2000, Sales & Marketing Executives International
Sales & Marketing Executives International
Sales & Marketing Executives International is a worldwide organization dedicated to ethical standards, continuing professional development, knowledge sharing, mentoring students and advancing free enterprise. Founded in 1935 in the U.S...
awarded Love’s the 2000 Outlook Award, for innovation and outstanding contribution to the future of the convenience store industry.
Today Love’s operates more than 200 stores in more than 30 states. The current growth rate is about 15 – 20 store openings each year. In 2008, Forbes Magazine
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
ranked Love’s at No. 25 on its list of America’s largest private companies. Love’s debuted on the list at No. 446 in 2000.
On June 30, 2010 Love's acquired 20 Pilot Travel Centers
Pilot Travel Centers
Pilot Flying J is a chain of truck stops in the United States and Canada. The company is based in Knoxville, Tennessee where Pilot Corporation, the majority owner, is based. The company is owned by Pilot, FJ Management Inc., and CVC Capital Partners...
locations and six Flying J locations out of antitrust
Antitrust
The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace. These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both,...
concerns in order for the Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
to approve the Pilot/Flying J merger.
Love's main competitors include Pilot Flying J, TravelCenters of America
TravelCenters of America
TravelCenters of America is the largest "full service" truck stop chain in North America. The majority of customers are professional truck drivers. The corporate headquarters is located in Westlake, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland...
, and T/A owned Petro Stopping Centers.
Key Dates
1964: Tom and Judy Love launch the Musket chain with a gas station in Watonga, Oklahoma.1972: The first Country Store opens in Guymon, Oklahoma
Guymon, Oklahoma
Guymon is a city in and the county seat of Texas County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,442, making it the largest city on the Oklahoma Panhandle. Corporate hog farms and cattle feedlots dominate its economy....
.
1978: Love's Country Stores Inc. is established.
1981: The first Travel Stop opens in Amarillo, Texas.
1986: The company is renamed Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores, Inc.
1990: Love's begins adding major branded fast-food franchises to Travel Stops.
1999: The 50th Travel Stop is opened.
2001: The company is renamed Love's Travel Stops and Country Stores, Inc.
2008: Love’s rises to No. 25 on the Forbes list of America’s largest private companies.
2011: Love's rises to No. 7 on the Forbes list of America’s largest private companies.