Dive Brief:
- Convenience store retailer Racetrac Petroleum is proposing a new location in Delaware, Ohio — its first location in the state — according to a report by the Delaware Planning Commission.
- Ohio marks the second Midwestern state Racetrac is eyeing in expansion plans, as it’s also working on a previously announced store in Seymore, Indiana, a Racetrac spokesperson said during a hearing with the Delaware Planning Commission on Dec. 7.
- These plans come at a busy time for Racetrac, which also revealed its expansion to South Carolina earlier this week as it looks to grow its footprint throughout the country.
Dive Insight:
A Midwest expansion would add another well-known c-store competitor to the big players in the region, which include 7-Eleven, Circle K, Casey’s General Stores, Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores and Kwik Trip.
Notable c-store chains Racetrac would directly compete with in Delaware — about 30 miles north of Columbus — include 7-Eleven-owned Speedway, Sheetz, United Dairy Farmers and Turkey Hill Mini Market.
Racetrac’s proposed store in Delaware would be just over 6,000 square-feet and feature eight traditional fueling islands, five diesel fueling islands and 34 parking spaces built on 4.6 acres of land, according to the report. It would also provide jobs for 25 to 30 employees, and include outdoor seating for up to 16 people in addition to Racetrac’s typical expanded food offerings, such as sandwiches, pizza, hot foods and its Swirl World frozen yogurt stations.
The Delaware Planning Commission voted unanimously on Dec. 7, 2022, to recommend the store’s approval to the Delaware City Council, which will hold a public hearing and second reading on the proposal on Jan. 23, according to the report.
During this time, Racetrac is required to complete a traffic impact study — which it has already begun — that could “require some changes to the site plan,” an official said during the hearing.
In a statement to NBC4 News Columbus, a Racetrac official said central Ohio’s “diverse population” and “growth in commuting and mobile workplaces” makes it a “natural fit for its stores.”
“This expansion into Ohio starts to plant roots further north, and we look forward to becoming a part of this flourishing community,” the spokesperson said.
Racetrac did not respond by press time to an inquiry made Thursday morning for more details on its expansion to Ohio.
Racetrac currently operates more than 550 stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. It also owns Raceway c-stores, which has more than 200 locations across 12 states in the Southeast.
