麻豆色播

Kentucky-based Valor Oil operates 15 Hop Shop convenience stores and is in the process of building its first truck stop from the ground up. The company is investing $2 million in the truck stop, which is in Owensboro, Kentucky. It will sit on about 15 acres and feature a 9,500-square-foot store along with 120 parking spaces. The newest location will also feature something Hop Shop has become known for鈥攊ts disco bathrooms. Hop Shop鈥檚 mascot is a mischievous frog named Hopper, and he warns customers not to push the red button in the bathroom. 鈥淚f you push the red button, that is when the disco starts,鈥� said Tim Dupin, director of store operations, Valor Oil.

With Military Appreciation Month underway, the 麻豆色播 Foundation is proud to announce its participation in the nationwide Truckloads of Remembrance in partnership with the nonprofit Wreaths Across America (WAA). Wreath sponsorships are $17, and $5 from each sponsorship will support the 麻豆色播 Foundation.听鈥淭he funds will help support our initiatives designed to keep travel center employees and their customers safe,鈥� said Amy Toner, executive director, the 麻豆色播 Foundation.听 To support the 麻豆色播 Foundation in reaching its goal, truck stops and travel centers can participate by soliciting wreath sponsorships now through December 2, 2025. Truck stops and travel centers should ask for donations using this 麻豆色播 Foundation link:聽www.natso.com/wreathsacrossamerica.听

Reducing shrink and theft can seem like a constant battle for truck stop and travel center operators, but technology is making it easier to detect and prevent loss. During 麻豆色播 Connect 2025, members of the 麻豆色播 Foundation鈥檚 Technology Steering Council聽shared solutions and strategies to combat theft.

麻豆色播鈥檚 Great Ideas! for Travel Centers Workshop at 麻豆色播 Connect 2025 brought truck stop and travel center operators to share innovative strategies and best practices that are helping set locations apart from their competition. This year, industry leaders shared their insights into meeting customers鈥� increasing expectations through great fundamentals. 鈥淐arve out a niche and differentiate yourself from your competition,鈥� said Dustin Trail, manager of Trails Travel Center. Trail, along with Valkyrie Musarra, chief operating officer of Bowlin Travel Centers, and Keith Wade, owner of KEW Travel Center Consulting, kicked off the workshop with a panel discussion moderated by 麻豆色播 Foundation Executive Director Amy Toner on merchandising, food service and operations.

Heather DeBaillie, vice president of marketing and operations for CAT Scale Co., recently concluded a three-year tenure as chairperson of the 麻豆色播 Foundation, marking a significant milestone in her long-standing commitment to the foundation and the truck stop and travel center industry. 鈥淗eather has been a leading voice in shaping the image of our industry,鈥� said Darren Schulte, interim CEO of 麻豆色播. 鈥淗er leadership, vision and dedication have played a crucial role in advancing the foundation鈥檚 mission and strengthening our industry鈥檚 work.鈥� Schulte honored DeBaillie during the Opening Keynote at 麻豆色播 Connect 2025. In addition to serving as the chairperson, DeBaillie has been an active member of the foundation鈥檚 board since 2016, serving in various leadership roles and helping to drive key initiatives.

During 麻豆色播 Connect, 麻豆色播 celebrated the career and accomplishments of Marsha Bird who is retiring after spending 35 years in the truck stop and travel center industry. Bird spent more than 28 years with NATSN where she served in several positions, including CEO, before joining Roady鈥檚 where she served as an account executive, vice president and ambassador.

The 麻豆色播 Foundation, the education, research and public subsidiary of 麻豆色播, announced that Love鈥檚 Travel Stops, one of the nation鈥檚 leading travel center networks, generously donated $47,000 to advance the 麻豆色播 Foundation鈥檚 program of work. 鈥淭his heartfelt and genuine act of kindness by Love鈥檚 Travel Stops reflects the philanthropic, caring ethos that makes Love鈥檚 so special. We deeply thank Love鈥檚 for its dedication to the 麻豆色播 Foundation and the industry,鈥� said Amy Toner, executive director of the 麻豆色播 Foundation.

Tiger Truck Stop--the last stop on I-10 before heading into the Louisiana capital of Baton Rouge--is as welcoming as the rich Louisiana culture. "Our focus is to provide superior customer service in a welcoming atmosphere for travelers of all kinds," said James Jarreau, co-owner of Tiger Truck Stop. "In addition to regular convenience store products, we bring a little Louisiana to travelers." They do that through their c-store and restaurant offerings. Customers can pick up Louisiana Cajun spices and specialty foods, including boudin, Alligator sausage and Louisiana gumbo. The restaurant is open 24/7 and serves daily plate lunches.

The upcoming holiday season brings additional opportunities to boost sales, and travel centers can bring a little magic to the mix by surprising customers with unexpected products. 鈥淲e can offer unique, fun things, and we have the opportunity to do something very, very different,鈥� said Darren Schulte, 麻豆色播鈥檚 vice president of membership. 鈥淚 think there is an opportunity to get away from the old, tired retail stuff we often try to sell for Christmas.鈥�

The 麻豆色播 Foundation is excited to announce a unique hybrid educational and networking event during聽麻豆色播 Connect.听The event, which will run from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Feb. 28, has been designed to foster meaningful connections between vendors and truck stop and travel center professionals, helping them address key challenges that keep them up at night.

Artificial intelligence, or AI, is changing the retail, convenience and fueling industries, helping operators optimize sales and inventory, streamline operations, reduce costs and improve the customer experience.听 鈥淭he benefit of AI is it can help make decisions without having any human emotion involved, which is really important in retail,鈥� said Darren Schulte, 麻豆色播鈥檚 vice president of membership. Inventory Management Schulte said several 麻豆色播 members are using AI to help them manage their inventory, determine their product mix and help create planograms. 鈥淔rom a planogram standpoint, they can ask which to place on certain facings and how to get the most productivity out of them,鈥� he explained.

When Quyntyn Johnson, president of operations at LV Petroleum, joined the company in 2022, it had one travel center, zero quick-service restaurants, four convenience stores and 115 employees. As of October 2024, the company has 22 travel centers, 43 quick-service restaurants, 40 convenience stores and nearly 2,000 employees. 鈥淲e've done more acquisitions than we have done ground-up builds, but now we鈥檙e hitting our peak where our ground-up builds and our acquisitions are merging together,鈥� Johnson said.