SunStop convenience stores is building new prototype locations and remodeling its fleet of existing stores with a focus on modernization and a food-forward presence. As part of its growth strategy, the Bainbridge, Ga.-based chain is expanding its proprietary foodservice program, launching mobile ordering and testing ordering kiosks. Additionally, SunStop is expanding deeper into Florida to extend its reach.

A regional chain, SunStop operates 80 locations in Georgia, Florida and Alabama, but it is strategically positioning itself to compete with national players encroaching on its market area.

SunStop’s parent company, Southwest Georgia Oil Co. (SWGO), also has 11 dealer-operated sites and distributes its proprietary Inland fuel brand to 53 Inland-branded locations.

Family-Owned Business

SWGO got its start in 1959 when Founder Jimmy Harrell began a diesel delivery service for farmers in southern Georgia. Jimmy went on to open the company’s first service station in 1961 and later debuted the company’s first convenience store in the early 70s. His sons Mike and Mark purchased the company from him in 1990 and turned their focus to expanding the retail business. Mark Harrell left SWGO in 1999, and today Mike Harrell helms the company as CEO. Glennie Bench, who joined the business in 1991, was promoted to president of the company in 2018.

Two of Mike Harrell’s daughters, who represent the third generation of the family business, are active in the company today. Rachel Harrell works in real estate for SWGO, developing non-traditional concepts, including

a Jeremiah’s location — an Italian ice and soft-service ice cream shop franchise — and three Ellianos coffee drive-through franchises. Perra Harrell is a certified public accountant and serves on the accounting staff.

Developing SunStop

SWGO launched the SunStop brand, created in collaboration with an Atlanta design firm in 1997, after recognizing the chain needed a dedicated store brand, if it aspired to grow its presence in the region. In launching the SunStop name, SWGO aimed to keep its proprietary Inland fuel brand exclusive to its fuel operations while introducing a moniker for its c-stores that would capture the essence and spirit of its stores.

“We feel like our stores are welcoming, warm, energetic and just happy places. … We’re definitely in the Sun Belt down here. They came up with a variety of names to choose from and SunStop just worked,” Bench said.

Ten years later, in 2007, the SunStop name was temporarily acquired by North Carolina-based The Pantry, along with 24 of SWGO’s c-store locations.

SWGO had completed an 18-store acquisition of Big Little Stores in southeastern Alabama in the fall of 2006. With the SunStop name sold, it branded the recently purchased sites under the new banner Sun Valley Market.

In 2015, SWGO purchased S&S Food Stores in Lake City, Fla. That same year, The Pantry was acquired by Circle K, which wanted to purchase the remaining leases on SWGO’s stores. “We negotiated to get the name SunStop back because The Pantry had never used it, and Circle K wasn’t planning to use it,” Bench said.

After reclaiming the SunStop name, SWGO refreshed its branding. As part of its mission to create a cohesive and contemporary brand, SunStop began a two-phase process to unify its stores. In 2018, it began actively reimaging all locations to reflect the new and improved SunStop banner, which involved updating store exteriors to the refreshed SunStop branding. In the Lake City, Fla., market, this transition from S&S Food Stores to SunStop proved seamless, as customers perceived SunStop as an extension of S&S.

After completing the exterior renovations, SunStop shifted its focus to the interiors beginning in 2020. This current phase involves substantial remodels, including the addition of delis or the expansion of existing deli services as well as updating older locations to reflect a more modern aesthetic. SunStop’s entire fleet of stores are scheduled for some degree of attention whether that’s a complete remodel, new equipment or simply some refreshed wall graphics.

In addition to completing remodels, SunStop is expanding through new builds. In the past year, SunStop has opened five new-to-industry (NTI) locations, the most recent of which debuted in DeFuniak Springs, Fla., this past July. The chain has plans to build two more stores in Tallahassee, Fla., with one already under construction and the second set to break ground before the end of 2024.

In early 2025, SunStop also has plans to raze and rebuild a Lake City, Fla., store it acquired in 2015. The site features diesel lanes at the rear but is currently light on in-store amenities. To build out space for more services, SunStop plans to expand the store footprint from 3,000 to 8,000 square feet. This expansion will include space for a 2,500-square-foot Wendy’s, operated by a franchisee. The updated store will also feature SunStop’s proprietary Eat’s Southern Cookin’ deli. The site will fly the Shell flag and offer electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and scales for truck drivers, in addition to the diesel lanes.

Bright & Energetic Design

The prototype stores SunStop is opening now span 5,300 feet — or larger if they feature diesel lanes. But not all communities can support a store of that size, so SunStop is also developing a 4,000-square-foot model that would be less expensive to build. The smaller prototype will feature either the Eat’s Southern Cookin’ deli or a traditional c-store with “an amped up grab-and-go section” that would include a proprietary sandwich program, fruit cups and parfaits made on-site in the kitchen — ideal for locations that don’t have space for a fryer or hot bar.

“It’s a little bit of a hybrid that I think will work in some smaller communities,” Bench said.

SunStop’s color scheme of blue and yellow is visible throughout the stores as well as on the logo.

“The SunStop logo is this script-looking font that is very high energy. When you come into our stores, our prototype stores have a clerestory roof — a pop-up roof in the center —  so there’s some natural light from above,” Bench said.

Inside the stores are bright with very high ceilings and lots of bright yellow and bright blue throughout alongside natural wood paneling, rustic off-white shiplap paneling and gray polished-concrete floors.

“Everything else is neutral so that the yellow and the blue pops and the red of our Eat’s deli pops. We’ve used a lot of vinyl wall coverings in our remodels so we can bring those same familiar concepts, even the look of the shiplap or the wood paneling, into an existing store with those same pops of color,” Bench said.

Outside, SunStop features dog parks and dog relief areas at some of its stores, which it feels fits in with the high-energy, family-oriented and welcoming vibe its locations look to offer.

In the forecourt most stores feature Inland as their proprietary fuel brand, while some are Shell-branded or 76-branded sites.

“We’ve established a bit of a niche of offering diesel lanes at our stores, even where we don’t have truck parking,” Bench said.

The stores with diesel lanes offer a second entrance, which allows more space for large trucks from semis to delivery vehicles.

SunStop also operates four mini-tunnel car washes that are co-located with its convenience stores under the name SunSplash. To create its car wash offering, SunStop used previous car wash space that came over with its acquisitions and upgraded the equipment and branding. SunStop plans to continue to add more SunSplash car washes in the future.

Southern Cookin’

SunStop is known for its Eat’s Southern Cookin’ proprietary deli program, which is available in 35 locations and features high-quality food made on-site.

“It’s based on a history of offering fried chicken-type delis that our industry is known for. Michelle Weckstein, director of food and beverage brands, has done a great job,” Bench noted.

Weckstein helped develop a positive reputation for the brand’s limited-time offers that often incorporated chicken tenders, such as in an orange chicken and rice dish that became a fan favorite and a staple on the menu. Stores also have daily specials. Thursdays feature meatloaf, Fridays include fried fish and Mondays feature baked pasta, to name a few. SunStop uses a conveyor oven to make its own proprietary flatbreads, including Buffalo Chicken, Chicken Pesto, Pepperoni and Southwestern Chicken varieties. It’s also offering hot hoagies at select locations. Prewrapped cold sandwiches are available in the cold grab-and-go case.

The focus on food and beverage is changing the look and feel of SunStop stores.

“When you walk into the front of our prototype stores, it’s all food and beverage — you see our fountain, our deli and the grab-and-go cases,” Bench said. “The traditional convenience offering is still a beautiful section of our store, but it’s to the right and the checkout is to the left, and so it’s just a different way of capturing the customers’ attention.”

All new stores are expected to receive the Eat’s Southern Cookin’ deli. When it comes to legacy stores scheduled for remodel, SunStop will determine which sites will receive foodservice offerings on a case-by-case basis.

In its most recent site that opened in July, as well as at future locations, SunStop is testing a new ordering kiosk that allows for custom ordering. Even the flatbreads can be custom made.

SunStop also partners with quick-service restaurants (QSRs) and co-brands at some sites, including three Noble Romans, a few Hunt Brothers Pizzas, a Moe’s and two Planet Smoothies.

“For instance, we’re doing a Noble Roman’s location in Lake City, in a market that we weren’t sure could handle a deli operation,” Bench said. “The Noble Roman’s offering is a good way to test the need and the demand for fresh food. If it goes well, we can expand it, and then add on our deli offering.”

All SunStop stores feature bean-to-cup coffee. The stores have a hybrid offering depending on the volume of coffee each store sells. All stores feature bean-to-cup machines that also dispense cappuccino and hot chocolate. Busier stores add an additional fast-brew bean-to-cup machine that exclusively dispenses coffee. The busiest locations also add a ground coffee air pot that is only available during the morning rush until 10 a.m., at which point a magnetized sign is placed on the machine that says “Enjoy our bean-to-cup coffee for the rest of the day,” and the air pot goes underneath the cabinet out of sight.

For customers in a hurry, the chain is testing drive-throughs at two locations, where customers can order from the Eat’s menu and any items from the c-store, including tobacco.

For those looking for a place to sit and eat, SunStop offers free WiFi at its locations, along with a bar with seating, complete with charging stations for phones or laptops. About a third of its stores feature additional seating.

Taking On Tech

SunStop is in the process of launching mobile ordering through its SunStop Rewards mobile app that is powered by Rovertown.

“We have a Paytronix loyalty program, and so that is allowing us to do mobile ordering,” Bench said. “We don’t do any delivery.”

Through the SunStop Rewards program, customers can earn points from both in-store and through fuel purchases, which can be redeemed for discounts on fuel or items within the store.

“We offer some SunStop Rewards-specific promotions, such as a buy-one-get-one or a discounted program. We have a fountain club and a coffee club, where you get your seventh cup free. We have a car wash club. We have a Mountain Dew club,” Bench said. “… We’re a convenience store, and what appeals to one person might not appeal to the other, so we’re trying to create a broad offering of discounted items or promotional items. We try to vary it frequently throughout the year so that there’s some appeal to everybody.”

SunStop is also testing self-checkout in two locations.

“Most of our stores only need self-checkout during limited windows during the day. You don’t necessarily need it every day all day,” Bench said. “And so, we’re trying to find a concept that makes sense in that kind of scenario.”

The Lake City site set for remodel in 2025 will feature EV charging through a partnership with Electrify America. “They’re operating that, but we’re just partnering as far as providing the space on our property,” Bench explained.

SunStop also has Tesla partnerships at four locations.

Additionally, it opened an EV charging station three months ago at one of its new Tallahassee, Fla., locations, which marks the chain’s first venture into operating its own EV charging station.

“It’s the only level-three charger within several hours of Tallahassee,” Bench said. “It is an Ads-Tec (Energy) setup. They are a battery-supplemented charger, so it allows you to avoid the peak demand charges on your utility bill that a normal charger incurs because the battery supplements it and tempers that spike.”

The battery then recharges automatically, so there’s no delay in recharging.

“We’ve been pleasantly surprised at the amount of business that we’ve gotten out of that. As our industry knows, these setups are massively expensive, especially if you’re trying to achieve a level-three speed,” Bench said. “I don’t know about the return on the investment yet, but people are looking for that speed.”

The technology isn’t widely used in the c-store space, making SunStop a pioneer in featuring the new battery-powered charging model.

What’s Next?

SunStop is focused on growing the size of its footprint as it continues to expand deeper into Florida.

“We’ve traditionally been a north Florida chain, but we’ve moved into the Panhandle of Florida, and now further south in Florida,” Bench said.

The chain will continue to introduce NTI locations across its operating areas. Currently, SunStop owns eight pieces of land earmarked for this purpose in the coming years.

Parent company SWGO also aspires to grow its dealer network in 2025 and beyond.

At store-level, SunStop plans to continue to invest in the food and beverage side of its business while evaluating opportunities to expand with new retail concepts.

“I think we will probably explore more branded foodservice in addition to our proprietary food. When you’re on an interstate, brands matter,” Bench said. “As I mentioned before, Mike’s daughter, Rachel, is working in what we call our business incubator with the development of the Jeremiah’s and Ellianos. We want to utilize some of our convenience store DNA and move into QSR or other retail concepts that are not necessarily tied to petroleum. I think you’ll see us do more of that, too.”

SunStop is also focused on further enhancing the performance of its existing locations, from staffing considerations to altering the mix of products and services to maximize the profitability of the stores.

Bench noted that given the skyrocketing costs associated with building c-stores and growing competition in the region, it’s important to achieve maximum profitability from all areas of a store. While SunStop is a regional chain, it is also competing against national players, including Wawa, and soon Casey’s, given it is set to acquire CEFCO, which has a site under construction right across the street from SunStop’s most recent location.

“Our goal is to look and feel like a national chain and ensure customers have that kind of experience here, if not better,” Bench said.

However, she added, being a mid-sized chain also offers SunStop distinct advantages. The chain excels in many areas compared to larger competitors due to its agility and the ability of its leadership to maintain strong relationships with store managers and front-line staff, which is harder to achieve for larger operations.

At the end of the day, it’s the company’s employees that help SunStop elevate its performance and stand out in a crowded marketplace.

“We have great people,” Bench said, adding that she’s continuously impressed by the dedication of the chain’s employees from its professional truck drivers and c-store managers and associates to the maintenance, IT, operations, human resources and accounting staff.

“I’m just blown away by how hard they work and how much they care,” she said. “They are just amazing people.”