ALMA, Ark. — Love's Travel Stops has opened a location in Alma, the first of more than 40 new stores it plans to open this year.
The new travel stop, located off on state Route 282, is the Oklahoma City-based company's third location along the 500-mile stretch of Interstate 49. It is also the 12th Love's Travel Stop in Arkansas.
The store, open 24/7, includes a Love's Truck Tire Care Center, as well as 55 truck parking spaces and three shower facilities. The location has Chester's Chicken and Subway restaurants, while also offering laundry services, as well as other convenient-store items.
Greg Love, co-CEO of Love's, said the route between Fayetteville, Ark., and Fort Smith, Ark., is "a heavily traveled freight route with limited services for professional drivers. We look forward to serving a rapidly growing area in northwest Arkansas."
Love's also operates two Speedco locations in Arkansas (North Little Rock, West Memphis).
In addition to opening 40-plus locations across the U.S. this year, Love's also said it plans to expand the range of mechanical services available at the 52 Speedco locations acquired last year. The 2018 goal will push the truck-stop plaza operator's network close to the 500-outlet level, continuing an expansion strategy that has grown the company's network by 147 locations in the past five years, including 36 last year.
Love's did not say how many of the 40 new plazas will have Love's Truck Tire Care facilities on site. The company operates tire servicing facilities at 320 of its 440-plus locations.
Love's Travel Stops carry eight new tire brands — Aeolus, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Firestone, Goodyear, Michelin and Yokohama — and retreads from the firm's new Oliver-system retread division.
The Speedco outlets handle Bridgestone, Firestone and Dayton new tires and Bandag retreads.