Fresh Stop convenience stores, which debuted earlier this year in Florida, opened its inaugural site in Arkansas at the end of March in the small town of Lonsdale, about 38 miles southwest of Little Rock.
Not only is the Lonsdale c-store store the first of several Fresh Stop locations planned for Arkansas, but it’s the newly formed company’s flagship location, Territory Manager Tony Kline told C-Store Dive. The company has since opened a store in Conway, Arkansas, as well.
In total, Fresh Stop owns about 30 convenience stores across four states, with all but five listed as “coming soon” on the retailer’s website. Its portfolio includes roughly 15 c-stores in Florida, 10 in Texas, five in Arkansas and one in Oklahoma.
The Lonsdale Fresh Stop may become a haven in the small town, whose population barely cracks 100 people. It appears to be the only gas station and c-store in town — the next closest pit stop is a Circle K about 6 miles east..
If Fresh Stop makes its way into nearby Little Rock, the competitive landscape will change significantly. The retailer would compete directly with several notable chains, such as Circle K, which has about 30 locations in Little Rock, and Murphy USA, which has about 10 locations near Little Rock and dozens more in surrounding areas.
In an email to C-Store Dive, Fresh Stop said it wants the Lonsdale store to be known as more than just a place for customers to fill up on gas. It wants to become “a culinary oasis for travelers and locals alike.”
“Fresh Stop is designed with the modern traveler in mind,” the company said.
Fresh Stop’s foodservice offerings center around its grab-and-go grocery cooler, coffee bar, cold beverage station and roller grill, which features a variety of hot dog and Tornado flavors. Fresh Stop called its fresh-prepared hot dogs “the star of the menu.”
Fresh Stop also aims to make its stores a “community hub,” with plans to engage with the areas it's located in through events and by supporting local suppliers.
“This connection to the community creates a welcoming atmosphere that encourages repeat visits and fosters relationships among customers,” the company said.
