Dive Brief:
- Gas N Wash, a convenience retailer with about 30 locations in suburban Chicago, has opened the first of two planned sites with an adjacent Mickey’s Greek-style restaurant, Vice President of Marketing Laura Krawisz confirmed.
- The new Gas N Wash opened on March 22 in Merrionette Park, about 18 miles south of downtown Chicago. While many Gas N Wash stores feature restaurants like Dunkin, its latest location is the first to have a Mickey’s, which specializes in gyros, charbroiled burgers, grilled chicken, fried seafood and more.
- This restaurant integration comes about four months after Gas N Wash received an undisclosed amount of capital from a Denver-based investment firm to finance new growth.
Dive Insight:
Aside from Dunkin, most of Gas N Wash’s partnering restaurants are local to the Chicago area, such as Rosati’s Pizza, Do-Rite Donuts, Beggar’s Pizza and Te Canijo Taco Truck.
Gas N Wash’s new 9,300-square-foot location — on the larger side for its stores, Krawisz said — will soon feature a Dunkin drive-thru and a Beggar’s in addition to Mickey’s, Krawisz said. Inside the store, customers can find 10 different 24-hour gaming machines, a beer cave and wine selection as well as standard c-store beverages, snacks, hot food and automotive items.
Mickey’s was founded in 1972 by Greek immigrants Bill and Ted Baffes. Bill’s son, Anthony, has run the business since his father passed away in 2014.
“With this incredible opportunity through Gas N Wash to grow our family’s legacy, we look forward to growing the brand and providing quality food at a fair price with exceptional customer service to many more communities,” Baffes said in a statement.
Gas N Wash’s second location with a Mickey’s is set to open in late April in Lemont, Krawisz noted.
In addition to its own banner of stores, Tinley Park, Illinois-based Gas N Wash also operates four Food N Fuel convenience stores around the Chicago area. All of its locations are open 24/7, 365 days a year, while its express car washes operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
