Dive Brief:
- The Kent Companies, which operates over 100 convenience stores across the Southwest and Southeast U.S., has acquired West Texas retailer Jack’s Convenience Stores for an undisclosed amount, according to a Thursday announcement.
- The acquisition includes Jack’s eight convenience stores in Midland, San Angelo, and Abilene, Texas. The stores will be rebranded to the Kent Kwik banner, with their fuel offerings updated to feature Chevron or Texaco-branded gasoline.
- This continues a series of acquisitions from Kent over the past year and a half as the Texas-based retailer continues to grow its footprint in several markets.
Dive Insight:
Prior to this, Kent’s most recent acquisition was of the 13-location c-store retailer DC Oil Company in Alabama. Before that, Kent acquired the 14-site Tom Thumb Food Stores chain in Florida.
The acquisition of Jack’s — in Kent’s home market of West Texas — indicates that Kent is still set on expanding locally amid its broader U.S. expansion.
In its announcement, Kent’s leadership said that acquiring Jack’s reinforces its commitment to servicing the West Texas community.
“The Jack's stores have been excellent competition for many years and now we are excited to call them family,” Bill Kent, owner of The Kent Companies, said in the announcement. “This acquisition not only strengthens our local presence but also reinforces our dedication to supporting the communities we serve."
Founded in 1957, Midland, Texas-based The Kent Companies operates 111 convenience stores across Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Mexico and Florida. Its c-store banners include Kent Kwik, Bountyland and Tom Thumb Food Stores, among others. The company also has 150 dealer locations in its network, along with several restaurants and tire shops
