Love's

[Pete]

With the recent construction of a new building in The Village and the purchase of the Atrium Towers from Chesapeake, Love's is obviously growing pretty quickly.

This article from OKC.biz reports 650 OKC employees and that the company is adding 20-25 new stores a year.

okcBIZ: News: Lovin' it

Forbes took notice and reports that things at Love’s are working out just fine. The magazine ranks Love’s No. 9 on the annual list of America’s Largest Private Companies, and Tom and Judy appeared at No. 132 in the 2013 Richest People in America list with a net worth of $3.6 billion.

[bchris02]

I've always made it a point to stop at Love's when on cross country trips. They are usually quite a bit cleaner than many of their competitors. Their snacks and beverages are usually fresh as well. One time somewhere west of Amarillo I bought a Dr. Pepper and it had solid chunks floating in it. Never had that happen at a Love's. Glad to see them doing well.

[GoThunder]

With the recent construction of a new building in The Village and the purchase of the Atrium Towers from Chesapeake, Love's is obviously growing pretty quickly.

This article from OKC.biz reports 650 OKC employees and that the company is adding 20-25 new stores a year.

okcBIZ: News: Lovin' it

Having worked at their corporate offices, I can assure you they are growing fast, and have been for a long time. A few years ago they acquired several Pilot and Flying J locations and really expanded their footprint. They are in 39 states, closing in quickly on 300 locations, and employ something like 10,000 people nationwide.

[rlewis]

I think a lot of people around here are unaware how big they really are. By revenue, they are far and away OKC's biggest company. Two years ago, their revenues were more than Devon and Chesapeake's revenues combined. However, because they are a privately held company and they don't do a lot of press releases, they slide under the radar. Like Hobby Lobby, in the last couple of years they have become very aggressive at expanding across the US.

[Pete]

Pretty impressive list of private-sector companies with headquarters in OKC:

Devon
Chesapeake
Continental
Enable Midstream
A ton of other energy companies
Hobby Lobby
Love's
Express Personnel
Paycom

[shawnw]

You forgot Braum's, if that counts...

[Roger S]

You forgot Braum's, if that counts...

And Sonic.... or is Sonic publicly held?

[Pete]

Forgot about Braums and Sonic -- both should be listed prominently.

BTW, I meant "private sector" as in, not government, not privately held, as in not traded on the stock market.

[jn1780]

Having worked at their corporate offices, I can assure you they are growing fast, and have been for a long time. A few years ago they acquired several Pilot and Flying J locations and really expanded their footprint. They are in 39 states, closing in quickly on 300 locations, and employ something like 10,000 people nationwide.

They passed 300 this year if you count the smaller car stops.

[dmoor82]

Possible new tower years down the road?

[Teo9969]

Sandridge
Chaparral
MidFirst
American Fidelity

[metro]

Forgot about Braums and Sonic -- both should be listed prominently.

BTW, I meant "private sector" as in, not government, not privately held, as in not traded on the stock market.

And another quiet giant like Loves is Century Martial Arts, the world's largest martial arts and MMA fighting equipment distributor/supplier, etc.

[jn1780]

Possible new tower years down the road?

If your referring to Loves, they are more likely to try to buy the Hertz building south of them or buy the old Walmart building along with the strip mall and car wash west of their headquarters and build 2 to 3 story buildings. However, these latest purchases suggest that it is unlikely they will do this in the near future.

[Rover]

Add LSB industries to the list.

[Dubya61]

Add LSB industries to the list.

I saw a list once that had LSB Industries as one of the top 15 private (non government) employers in OKC. That surprised me.

[adaniel]

Globe Life-nearly 4 million policy holders for life and health insurance, HQed in CityPlace Tower with at least a couple hundred employees.

BancFirst-$3.8 billion in assets, HQed in Downtown

[athensjohn]

Globe Life HQ is now in McKinney, TX. They still have big operations here, though, including a huge direct-mail printing plant that has its own post office.

[Plutonic Panda]

Oklahoma City-based Love's brings CNG fueling to Dallas | News OK

[Plutonic Panda]

Love's to add to growing CNG network along Interstate 40 | NewsOK.com

[jn1780]

Since Chesapeake is gone no one really pays attention to the Atrium towers anymore, but it appears the entire North tower is currently getting an interior renovation by Loves. I see the construction lights inside every morning on my way to work.

[Pete]

Since Chesapeake is gone no one really pays attention to the Atrium towers anymore, but it appears the entire North tower is currently getting an interior renovation by Loves. I see the construction lights inside every morning on my way to work.

That's actually more space for American Energy Partners.

[Pete]

Embracing new opportunities: Love’s expands into self-storage, plans more hotels
Company moves away from interstates

By: Molly M. Fleming The Journal Record February 4, 20150

OKLAHOMA CITY – Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores Inc. plans to expand its services this year. The yellow, red and orange hearts will adorn more than convenience stores.

The company is entering the storage unit business with two facilities this spring, with more to come later this year.

Kevin McCarthy, director of special projects in real estate for Love’s, said the new venture is another example of founder Tom Love’s entrepreneurial drive.

He said a Love’s corporate employee owns a storage unit facility next to the Love’s Travel Stop at S. Morgan Road and Interstate 35, and many professional drivers were renting the units.

“We thought this might be a good fit for us,” McCarthy said.

The company will open a 62,000-square-foot facility in El Paso, Texas, in April, and a 43,000-square-foot facility in Sweetwater, Texas, in May. The El Paso spot will have 289 non-climate-controlled units, 228 climate-controlled units and 51-covered recreational vehicle-boat parking spots. In Sweetwater, the company is building 236 non-climated-controlled units, 112 climate-controlled units, and 57 RV/boat parking spots. Both are next to Love’s Travel Stops, but will have separate entrances.

The storage facilities are being built on land the company initially purchased for the travel stops.

“We weren’t really going out and looking for the land,” McCarthy said. “It just happened that we accumulated surplus property over the years.”

Other planned storage facilities will be in Las Vegas, which is solely RV and boat storage; Bridgeton, Missouri; and Tulare, California. The Bridgeton site will open in early 2016, and the other two facilities are still in early development stages. All three will sit next to Love’s Travel Stops.

Another company venture won’t always be next to a travel stop. Love’s is continuing to partner with economy and limited-service hotel companies, with 12 hotels planned. It purchased a Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham franchise in early 2014 and opened two locations that year. It plans to have 20 hotels opened in the next two years.

The four hotels under construction are in Mossy Head, Florida; Sweetwater, Texas, near the storage center; Emerson, Georgia; and Jasper, Alabama. The Georgia site will be the first hotel on the LakePoint Sporting Community campus. The area has 1,300 acres filled with eight baseball fields, 10 softball fields, 13 soccer fields, a golf course and retail entertainment development.

The eight hotels under development include a 78-room Microtel in Enid, along with a new travel stop.

The company is also developing with Choice Hotels’ Sleep-In and Main Stay brands, Best Western International and Marriott International Inc.

Visit Enid Director Marcy Jarrett said the hotel will be welcome in the city, especially since it will be on the east side. Activity is expected to increase in the area as the Koch Nitrogen plant expands and the Northern Oklahoma College’s Enid campus grows.

“There’s a real need over there,” Jarrett said. “I think that’s a great combination to have the travel stop and the hotel there. It seems to be a win-win for the customer and that side of town.”

The travel stop will be at Highway 412 and 42nd Street, with the hotel immediately behind it. The travel stop will open in early winter.

The location starts a new direction for Love’s, as it is looking for sites away from major interstates. Media Specialist Kealey Dorian said the company opened 25 travel stops last year and expects to open that many or more this year. It did not enter any new states in 2014, but will open its first travel stop in Maryland later this year.

Dorian said Love’s is looking on other highways because it’s harder to find land these days. It is now looking at roads with truck and leisure traffic, such as State Highway 33 in Guthrie. A travel stop will open there in early winter.

[Plutonic Panda]

Spreading the love: Travel Stops to get new restaurant brands | The Journal Record

[Plutonic Panda]

Loves > About Us > Media Center > News > Love's to open more than 40 locations in 2016

[MagzOK]

Their store in north Texas just north of Denton -- t's an embarrassment of a store -- nasty, older, and teeny tiny. It needs to be a tear-down-rebuild.