Maverik to acquire Kum & Go

[Rothman]

Maverik as nice...that's a new one.

[Road Hog]

Kum & Go stores are all over Central Arkansas, so I stop in whenever I go back.

[triplemultiplex]

The other main chains we have are Jacksons/ExtraMile and Stinker.

"Stinker"?  That sounds like you'll be risking your life to use the restroom.

[iowahighways]

Thread bump: the infamous Kum & Go name is expected to... well, go by the end of 2025 in place of Maverik. https://www.cspdailynews.com/mergers-acquisitions/maveriks-decision-retire-kum-go-brand?fbclid=IwAR3jUv-g6rXt2S8AZFvNmjygf18xxk8RoGIVsJ8ZJQ40A5gCWWc0_7ixB1c

[Scott5114]

Utah said no fun allowed.

[triplemultiplex]

We're all lucky the name lasted as long as it did.

[thenetwork]

For those not familiar with Maverik stores, IMHO, they are a step or two above K&G and Speedway.

The newer stores have high ceilings and have an outdoors theme to them.  Their older stores are like that of a K&G vibe with smaller stores and tighter aisles, but many of those were totally remodeled over the last year or so.

I'll be curious if they rebuild/enlarge the K&G stores to fit  the newer Maverik model/theme?

I will say that you should enjoy the Maverik touches as most Maveriks do not look like the cookie-cutter, stereotypical C-stores.

[brad2971]

For those not familiar with Maverik stores, IMHO, they are a step or two above K&G and Speedway.

The newer stores have high ceilings and have an outdoors theme to them.  Their older stores are like that of a K&G vibe with smaller stores and tighter aisles, but many of those were totally remodeled over the last year or so.

I'll be curious if they rebuild/enlarge the K&G stores to fit  the newer Maverik model/theme?

I will say that you should enjoy the Maverik touches as most Maveriks do not look like the cookie-cutter, stereotypical C-stores.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.6826014,-104.8660093,3a,75y,272.84h,90.79t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sRcS1pqjjAs2PPtB27faUVg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

I was at this particular store just this past weekend. While it was originally supposed to be a Kum n Go, the owners simply shoved the Maverik logo in what would be normally Kum n Go's logo. There's another store just south of there (at Havana and Yale) that has yet to be switched to Maverik.

[US 89]

If I have a choice, I almost always stop at Maverik when I'm in the west. The gas prices are fair and the bathrooms are always very nice and clean - especially at the newer stations. That brand name does carry value that the Kum&Go brand really didn't. I'm as sad as anyone else that the silly name is going away, but it is financially the right decision.

Fun fact: I went to high school with the Maverik owners' daughters. It was well known that they were pretty much the richest people in the school.

[wriddle082]

About 5 years ago I spent about a week and a half in Sacramento for work (in June), and during the weekend that I had off I took a trip up US 50 to Lake Tahoe, Carson City, I-580 to Reno, and back on I-80.  Ended up getting gas at a Maverik off of 580 on the south end of Reno, not knowing a thing about the chain.  Needless to say I was impressed.  I wanna say it was most like Wawa as far as east coast chains go.  I didn't notice whether or not they had hot food options as I had eaten McD's about a half hour prior, but I definitely took note of the reasonable gas prices and clean restrooms.

[thenetwork]

In Grand Junction, CO for the longest time, we were the boundary line between the Maverik chain and K&G.   K&G's "territory" was from DeBeque (east of Junction) and eastward, while Maverik was Grand Junction proper and points west into Utah,

Just within the last few months, they expanded with a store between Vail and Avon along I-70, which initially I thought was odd, but now it all makes sense with the merger and the brand retirement of K&G.

Since Speedway is expanding (south) westward -- as they are along the US-160 corridor in southern Colorado and points south -- Maverik is returning the favor eastward.

[vdeane]

If I have a choice, I almost always stop at Maverik when I'm in the west. The gas prices are fair and the bathrooms are always very nice and clean - especially at the newer stations. That brand name does carry value that the Kum&Go brand really didn't. I'm as sad as anyone else that the silly name is going away, but it is financially the right decision.

Fun fact: I went to high school with the Maverik owners' daughters. It was well known that they were pretty much the richest people in the school.

How do the two brands compare?  If Kum & Go isn't as good or doesn't have everything that Maverik does, it could end up doing damage to the Maverik name.

[triplemultiplex]

Switching to Maverick means Kum & Go will up their heat lamp grill game.

[kphoger]

Or they'll just slap a new logo on the building and call it a day.  ?

[vdeane]

Or they'll just slap a new logo on the building and call it a day.  ?

I would think that would be far more likely.  It's what happened when Speedway took over all the Hess stations.  Speedway in the Midwest is a full gas station/convenience store chain.  Speedway in former Hess territory is more often than not a pure gas station like this.

[JREwing78]

How do the two brands compare?  If Kum & Go isn't as good or doesn't have everything that Maverik does, it could end up doing damage to the Maverik name.

Or they'll just slap a new logo on the building and call it a day.  ?

If the folks running Maverik are smart, they won't simply slap a new logo on the building and call it a day. They will progressively update stores and remodel or refresh as needed before switching the logo on the building. Seeing that Maverik has 400 stores to ultimately switch over, they probably accounted for at least some of these necessary changes when they planned out the purchase process.

They would first assess the condition of the Kum & Go chain and determine what investment was necessary to bring them up to Maverik standards. They would ensure they had sufficient funds on hand to execute the change. They would also factor the amount of their offering bid based on their findings. Doubtless they also have prioritized what Kum & Go locations get the upgrades first, which ones get them later, and which locations simply close.

Being from southern Wisconsin, I've watched Kwik Trip go through similar purchasing processes when they picked up the local chains Stop-N-Go and PDQ. The newer, nicer locations got updated signage and some mild interior remodeling. Other locations were bulldozed and replaced with new buildings. For locations that could not be made to fit the Kwik Trip format, they were bulldozed and the real estate sold off. About 15 Stop-N-Go locations remain, rebranded "Stop-N-Go by Kwik Trip", a bit like a red-headed stepchild. They sell much of the same merchandise, and the same fuel, as Kwik Trip, but don't have all of the bells and whistles of the larger new-format Kwik Trip stores.

[Scott5114]

Being from southern Wisconsin, I've watched Kwik Trip go through similar purchasing processes when they picked up the local chains Stop-N-Go and PDQ. The newer, nicer locations got updated signage and some mild interior remodeling. Other locations were bulldozed and replaced with new buildings. For locations that could not be made to fit the Kwik Trip format, they were bulldozed and the real estate sold off. About 15 Stop-N-Go locations remain, rebranded "Stop-N-Go by Kwik Trip", a bit like a red-headed stepchild. They sell much of the same merchandise, and the same fuel, as Kwik Trip, but don't have all of the bells and whistles of the larger new-format Kwik Trip stores.

This basically is how Casey's moved into the OKC market upon acquiring the Circle Ks around here. The good locations became Casey's immediately, the middling ones got Casey's branding but got remodeled one by one, the bad ones (and the ones that were good but too close to another Casey's location) became Good Stop by Casey's.

[ozarkman417]

This just about sums up Southwest Missouri's relationship with Kum & Go. Although they were recently bought out By Maverik, the branding will remain the same.

That's a twist. Springfield Daily Citizen published an article stating that the 33 K&G's won't be rebranded back in September:
https://sgfcitizen.org/economy-growth/33-springfield-kum-go-stores-will-not-be-rebranded-following-maveriks-2-billion-buyout/

Fortunately for Maverik, most K&Gs in the area have been upgraded to the GO FRESH Market design, simplifying the renovation process. Seeing as these new market K&Gs were built within the last decade, I'd imagine that the demolition and rebuilding of these locations is highly unlikely.

[US 89]

In Grand Junction, CO for the longest time, we were the boundary line between the Maverik chain and K&G.   K&G's "territory" was from DeBeque (east of Junction) and eastward, while Maverik was Grand Junction proper and points west into Utah,

Just within the last few months, they expanded with a store between Vail and Avon along I-70, which initially I thought was odd, but now it all makes sense with the merger and the brand retirement of K&G.

Since Speedway is expanding (south) westward -- as they are along the US-160 corridor in southern Colorado and points south -- Maverik is returning the favor eastward.

Speedway has expanded at least as far west as the Wasatch Front now. Several locations have popped up in the greater Salt Lake City area in the last 5 years or so, most of which used to be Tesoro or Shell in my observations.

[cl94]

In Grand Junction, CO for the longest time, we were the boundary line between the Maverik chain and K&G.   K&G's "territory" was from DeBeque (east of Junction) and eastward, while Maverik was Grand Junction proper and points west into Utah,

Just within the last few months, they expanded with a store between Vail and Avon along I-70, which initially I thought was odd, but now it all makes sense with the merger and the brand retirement of K&G.

Since Speedway is expanding (south) westward -- as they are along the US-160 corridor in southern Colorado and points south -- Maverik is returning the favor eastward.

Speedway has expanded at least as far west as the Wasatch Front now. Several locations have popped up in the greater Salt Lake City area in the last 5 years or so, most of which used to be Tesoro or Shell in my observations.

Not only does Speedway have a location in Fort Bragg, CA within spitting distance of the Pacific Ocean, they're as far west as Kenai, AK. So yeah, can't get much further west unless they expand to Hawaii or the Aleutian Islands. I know many of the CA locations were once Mobil.

[thenetwork]

Or they'll just slap a new logo on the building and call it a day.  ?

I would think that would be far more likely.  It's what happened when Speedway took over all the Hess stations.  Speedway in the Midwest is a full gas station/convenience store chain.  Speedway in former Hess territory is more often than not a pure gas station like this.

A great example is in Cortez, Colorado:  The original Maverik north of town on US-491 is well half the size of the larger, newer-concept one on the east side of town on US-160, while the former could be a cookie-cutter Kum & Go Speedway. Aisles are cramped, one-seater rest rooms, etc.

The newer Maverik, about 5-7 years old, has the higher ceilings, twice as many pumps, including Diesel Fuel Islands and RV dumps, roomy aisles and multi-stall restrooms.  Some localities may just get the rebranding/simple remodeling and be more like the North Cortez store.  But most of the newer Maveriks I've seen, especially those off main highways and certainly all the newer ones are of the larger, outdoors-themed variety.


Here's the closest newer-styled one to me:    https://maps.app.goo.gl/p5bMSKjXUMdmEZQT9

[hbelkins]

Being from southern Wisconsin, I've watched Kwik Trip go through similar purchasing processes when they picked up the local chains Stop-N-Go and PDQ. The newer, nicer locations got updated signage and some mild interior remodeling. Other locations were bulldozed and replaced with new buildings. For locations that could not be made to fit the Kwik Trip format, they were bulldozed and the real estate sold off. About 15 Stop-N-Go locations remain, rebranded "Stop-N-Go by Kwik Trip", a bit like a red-headed stepchild. They sell much of the same merchandise, and the same fuel, as Kwik Trip, but don't have all of the bells and whistles of the larger new-format Kwik Trip stores.

This basically is how Casey's moved into the OKC market upon acquiring the Circle Ks around here. The good locations became Casey's immediately, the middling ones got Casey's branding but got remodeled one by one, the bad ones (and the ones that were good but too close to another Casey's location) became Good Stop by Casey's.

I don't remember the name of the chain, but I stopped at a store in Great Falls, Mont., and the employees were wearing Circle K apparel. The store's brand on the front and the gas pumps was definitely not Circle K.

[SD Mapman]

Being from southern Wisconsin, I've watched Kwik Trip go through similar purchasing processes when they picked up the local chains Stop-N-Go and PDQ. The newer, nicer locations got updated signage and some mild interior remodeling. Other locations were bulldozed and replaced with new buildings. For locations that could not be made to fit the Kwik Trip format, they were bulldozed and the real estate sold off. About 15 Stop-N-Go locations remain, rebranded "Stop-N-Go by Kwik Trip", a bit like a red-headed stepchild. They sell much of the same merchandise, and the same fuel, as Kwik Trip, but don't have all of the bells and whistles of the larger new-format Kwik Trip stores.

This basically is how Casey's moved into the OKC market upon acquiring the Circle Ks around here. The good locations became Casey's immediately, the middling ones got Casey's branding but got remodeled one by one, the bad ones (and the ones that were good but too close to another Casey's location) became Good Stop by Casey's.

I don't remember the name of the chain, but I stopped at a store in Great Falls, Mont., and the employees were wearing Circle K apparel. The store's brand on the front and the gas pumps was definitely not Circle K.

Was that at a Holiday? Circle K bought them a few years back and has started to merge the branding (at least in SD).

[iowahighways]

Stephen Colbert even addressed the Kum & Go name retirement earlier this week (starting at about 4:50 into the video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPmy9V-UfWw

[Road Hog]

I stayed for the whole video. I didn't Kum & Go.