QuikTrip, a growing convenience store chain which operates in many states, has caught the attention of NRMCA senior national resource directors Jon Hansen and Vance Pool. Pool reports that the chain continues to specify concrete parking for all its stores. One of his contacts, Jason Wimberly of the Carolinas Ready Mixed Concrete Association, recently confirmed that approximately 15 new QuikTrip units were constructed last year in North or South Carolina and a significantly larger number are planned, with land already having been secured for the additional units.

"It is truly a pleasure to work with a National Account like QuickTrip that understands the life cycle cost advantage of concrete and is willing to pay to build with concrete designed above the minimums so that it will last a long, long time," Pool said. "It  pressure washes its lots as often as daily to make sure the stores look incredible. It has been profiled in the Harvard Business Review and they have truly exceptional business people. During a recent trip to Phoenix, a primarily asphalt market, a QuikTrip was one of the few concrete parking lots I noticed."

In the Midwest, Hansen reports that QuikTrip just opened a new store in West Des Moines that is a prototype for the company’s new "Generation 3" stores and an obvious feature in the new design is the complete use of concrete for all paving. The Generation 3 stores are larger, averaging about 5,700 square feet compared to 4,600 sf for non-Generation 3 stores. The new design has more entrances, including two in the front and two side entries to allow for better traffic in and out of the store. A larger food area in the Generation 3 store will include a touch screen for customers to place orders for hot and cold drinks, smoothies, soda and soft serve ice cream.

Currently, the Tulsa, OK-based QuikTrip has 600 stores in 10 states and will add an 11th state with the opening of a store in North Carolina next month. The company has 47 more stores under development.