Dive Brief:
- Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores announced its growth plans for 2023, including opening 25 new travel stops, remodeling some existing locations and opening 15 Love’s Truck Care and Speedco vehicle repair locations, according to a Friday press release.
- The plans also include enhancing its food array, from expanding its private-label offerings in categories like trail mix, juice and jerky to adding 30 new restaurants.
- Loves is also looking to partner with more big brands on product and service deals, expanding the number of amenities offered to drivers who use Love’s network of stores and repair locations.
Dive Insight:
As with its recent agreement with Interstate Batteries, or with Daimler Truck North America to allow Love’s Truck Care and Speedco locations to address certain warranty repair work for Freightliner trucks, these plans could help solidify Love’s as a top pick, especially for professional drivers. There were over 2 million heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers on U.S. roads in 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The 15 new repair locations will add 75 repair bays to its footprint, along with 75 emergency roadside service trucks and two tire retread centers. The company also plans to double its number of Love’s Truck Care Academies, from two to four.
When it comes to the remodels, the scope of its multi-year game plan – which will include everything from smaller work like bathroom updates all the way up to full-store remodels – is expected to be announced soon, according to the release.
Love’s locations selected to be remodeled will remain open during the work.
“What Tom Love started in 1964 has evolved into more than a store that offers gas, and we’ll continue to push the envelope with the addition of new services, amenities and partnerships,” said Shane Wharton, president of Love’s. “Being innovative and strategic with what we do adds reasons for customers to choose us and we’ll continue to find new ways to offer good value at competitive prices across the Love’s Family of Companies.”
In addition to the growth plans for its primary stores business, Love’s is also adding 325 new vehicles and replacing 250 older ones in its Gemini Motor Transport division, which delivers fuel; adding new electric vehicle charging units to its Trillium Energy Solutions segment; and hiring about 2,000 new employees during the year. It will also add more RV hookups and Amazon lockers.
Oklahoma City-based Love’s has more than 600 locations across 42 states. Its truck repair network has 430 locations, with a combined 1,500 maintenance bays and 1,200 emergency roadside vehicles.
