Introduction
Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores is an American family-owned business having a chain of more than 600 truck stops and convenience stores. This business is run in 42 states in the United States. This is a private company having its headquarters in Oklahoma City. It is one of the largest private companies in America. They deal in two main businesses. Country stores provide fuel with a convenience store attached to them whereas Travel stops are located along Highways and provide food from reputed restaurants such as Taco Bell, Green Burrito, Taco John”s Sunway, and many more. This company had more than 28,000 employees in 2018. During Covid, these services were affected badly but now it has regained its work and is becoming more popular these days.
Details Of The Company
This company was founded in 1964 by Tom Love and Jude Love. It deals in Energy, Retail, Hospitality, and Storage. Its headquarter is in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. It has nearly 610 locations and is operational in the United States. Tom Love is the executive chairman of the company. Greg Love and Frank Love are the Co-CEOs of the company whereas Shane Wharton works as the President of the company.
Services Provided By The Company
1. Provides diesel fuel and gasoline.
2. Tire repair and maintenance.
3. Restaurants.
4. Convenience stores.
5. Driver amenities.
6. Hospitality.
7. Storage.
Revenue Of The Company
US $ 25.9 Billion.
Number Of Employees
Nearly, 28,900 workers are working in the company presently. The business is increasing day by day which may result in engaging more employees in the near future.
How The Business Started
Tom and Judy Love invested $ 5,000 and leased an abandoned service station in Watonga, Oklahoma in 1964. Initially, the company was named Musket Corporation. It started well and opened 40 new gas stations. All the gas stations operated under Kerr- McGee gasoline brand.
In 1970, the gasoline crunch started in the United States, Tom Love worked very hard to survive and worked on different ideas. Tom was confused about whether to continue with the same business or to change it. One thing he knew was that he wanted to make his business successful. During that time he launched a new concept that was ” The Mini Stop Country Store “. The concept was liked by the masses and the result was that he opened more stores in Western Oklahoma.
As, the new stores were running successfully, in 1972 Musket converted all of its locations from gas stations to convenience stores with self-serve gasoline. In 1973 the company changed its name from Musket to Love’s Country Stores, as they wanted to get their business identified by their names.
Business continued to expand and Tom Love started working on other ideas. Finally, in 1978 the company began offering fresh sandwiches made daily on location. Soon the company started earning on food services also. Now the company had self-serve gasoline stations, convenience store items, and the fresh Daily Deli on the list of their services.
The business expanded to such an extent that by the end of 1981, the company had 100 Love’s Country Store locations in operation in the US. They changed the in-store decor from the previous dark country look to a brighter Theme.
In 1981, the company opened its first Love’s Travel Stop on Interstate 40 in Amarillo Texas. This concept was very different from the others and served both the professional drivers and the motoring public. The result was that this concept also gained popularity along with the rise in customers.
It was not an end to Love’s business growth as in 1985, Love added gifts and novelties to his business. In 1993 Tom Love joined hands with Taco Bell as a partner and opened a co-branded location in Oklahoma City. When two giants meet, you can expect the result. The partnership started growing quickly.
In 1995, one more milestone was achieved by the company as the company opened its first triple-branded food service operation in El Paso, Texas. The new business offered Subway, Taco Bell Express, and Pizza Hut.
In the meantime, the business of food service continued to grow. The company started partnering with an array of co-branded restaurant concepts like Taco Bell, Jaco John’s and Wendy’s, Dairy Queen, Del Taco, Denny’s, and many more.
In 2000, the company was awarded for innovation and outstanding contribution to the future of the convenience store industry.
In 2008, the company opened its first truck tire care location. Here services such as offering tires, equipment, light mechanical work, oil changes, and roadside services are offered to the customers.
Love acquired 20 Pilot Travel Center locations and 650 jet locations out of antitrust concerns in order for the Federal Trade Commission to approve the Pilot/Flying Jet merger.
On June 2017, Love opened its first location in Montana. It was Love’s 41st state and 430th store of operation.
Love’s Travel Shops and Country Stores were so famous that Love’s entered into a partnership agreement with the National Basketball Association. This agreement allowed Love’s to place its logo on the front left shoulder of all Oklahoma City Thunder jerseys. Front Row Motorsports opened a NASCAR Truck series in 2021 in which Love Was a primary sponsor. Love was on Zane Smith’s truck when he won the 2022 Next Era Energy 250.
In Feb 2023, Love purchased Lawton, Oklahoma-based EZ Go stores which consisted of 22 convenience stores, and a CNG fueling station.
Finally, Tom Love died at his home in Oklahoma City on March 7, 2023, at the age of 85. He will always be remembered for his innovative ideas and as a successful businessman.
When Was Thomas Love Born?
He was born on October 1937 in Oklahoma City ( US ).
When Did Thomas Love Die?
Thomas Love Died on March 7, 2023.
Who Was Thomas Love?
Thomas Love was an American billionaire businessman. He along with his wife was the founder, owner, and executive chairman of Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores.
What Is The Name Of Thomas/Tom Love’s Wife?
Judy Love is the name of Tom’s wife.
Early Life Of Thomas/Tom Love
Tom Love was the son of F.C. Love, who was a lawyer by profession and later became President of the oil company Kerr-McGee. His mother’s name was Margaret Eugenia Vessels. Tom was one of the six siblings his father had.
During his childhood, he was a good football player. He left his home at the age of 13 to be educated as a boarder at St. Gregory’s High School in Shawnee.
He worked for the US Marine Corps. After three years of service, he left the job after being promoted to the rank of corporal. The reason behind leaving the job was that he never felt contented during his job. He twice joined universities to attain higher education but wasn’t able to complete it. For the first time, before his marriage, he left St. John’s University in St. Cloud, Minnesota after less than one semester, and for the second time after the marriage, he got admitted to Oklahoma University again only to drop it.
Personal Life
Tom and Judy love tied the knot on December 26, 1961. They had four children out of which three work for their own company.
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