Dive Brief:
- Travel center chain Wally’s has launched an online store where consumers can purchase many of its branded products, according to a Sept. 2 Facebook announcement by the company.
- The online shop offers an assortment of Wally’s-branded merchandise like hats and koozies, as well as the retailer’s homemade beef jerky.
- Wally’s private label line is one of the pillars of its operation, and one the company remains focused on as it looks to open more stores, CEO Michael Rubenstein said on a Sept. 7 episode of the Baked-In podcast.
Dive Insight:
Both of Wally’s “mega” travel centers — located in Pontiac, Illinois, and Fenton, Missouri — are split into three “experience stations,” all of which include private label goods. One section is for standard c-store items like candy and beverages; another is for made-to-order foodservice; and the third features clothes, home goods, kitchen supplies and more.
Back in May, Rubenstein said in an interview that Wally’s was in the process of creating an online shop to sell many of these items. As of Sept. 2, that’s come to fruition.
On the merchandise side, the store carries Wally’s-branded trucker and snapback hats in several varieties and colors. Customers can also purchase any of Wally’s 23 different koozie options, which feature witty puns and jokes written by Wally’s marketing team, Rubenstein said back in May.
Other Wally’s-branded merchandise available online includes coasters, stickers, stuffed animals, lunch boxes, air fresheners, playing cards, bottle openers and a fidget survival kit.
Wally’s online jerky flavors include original, teriyaki, garlic, honey jalapeno and hot and spicy beef, along with peppered beef and turkey options.
The company is offering a “road trip bundle” package that includes a trucker hat, two collapsible koozies, three sticker packs and two bags of jerky for $50, with free shipping.
All items are shipped from Wally’s store in Fenton, and may take seven to 10 days to arrive, according to the website. Orders of at least $99 are shipped for free, and the store does not ship internationally at this time.
Founded in 2020, Wally’s is set to break ground on its third and biggest travel center later this year, a 45,000-square-foot store near Indianapolis, and has other locations in the works as well. Wally’s forecourts include 76 fueling stations — all carrying Wally’s proprietary gasoline — as well as an electric vehicle charging canopy with Wally’s-branded chargers.
