Market Place location opens in Johnston, Iowa, and Kum & Go has plans for 28 additional locations to follow in 2016.
Kum & Go introduced its newly rebuilt convenience store in Johnston, Iowa on Thursday, Feb. 18 at 6a.m. Located at 5225 NW 86th Street, the new c-store is a 6,000+-square-foot Marketplace design prototype with a variety of unique offerings for customers, making it unlike any other location.
To encourage customers to try out some of those new offerings, the first 99 customers to arrive on Thursday morning received a coupon for a 99-cent whole pizza. Additionally, on Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., customers have the chance to fill up with E-15 for 99 cents per gallon (available only at this store).
Developing this distinctive model took nearly two years, and the result is an entirely new concept. The centerpiece of the store is an expanded and open food preparation area that customers can see from the moment they enter. Other location features include:
– Elevated food experience with Kum & Go’s “Go Fresh Market”
– Open kitchen layout, clear aisles and easy-to-navigate zones
– Seating inside with patio seating outside (weather permitting)
– Complimentary Wi-Fi and charging stations for customers
– Expansive beer cave and growler station with fresh beer
– Designed for LEED-certified status, using energy efficient and sustainable design practices
Additionally, visible on 86th Street is a new piece of artwork commissioned by Kum & Go specifically for this Johnston location. An eight-foot tall and seven-foot wide ampersand (paying tribute to Kum & Go’s slogan “Where & means more.”) sits on the north side of the store. Designed and produced by the award-winning, Des Moines-based art studio Sticks, the sign pays tribute to the community of Johnston with key words and images that reflect the area’s attractions and slogans on one side. The opposite side showcases the Kum & Go core values and culture.
“This new footprint represents everything that Kum & Go strives to be for our associates and for our customers,” said Kum & Go President and CEO Kyle Krause. “This is the evolution of our brand promise and business approach. Now customers can truly experience the “more” that we provide.”
The store design was conceptualized by CBX, a retail design firm headquartered in New York City, and working prototype developed by BRR, an architecture firm in Kansas City. Local partners included Henning Construction from Johnston, Performance Display and Civil Design Advantage from Grimes, and Seneca Companies from Des Moines. Additional partners included Hussmann, Nagle Signs, and Arning Cos.
Kum & Go operates three stores in the Johnston community – the other two can be located at 5800 Northglenn Drive and 6130 NW 86th. All Johnston locations are open 24 hours, year-round.
Future locations of this new layout are planned for 2016 in Iowa, Colorado, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Missouri, and Arkansas. The next Iowa location will be located in Waukee in the new Kettlestone development, projected to open in spring 2016.
