The new On the Move gas station and convenience store chain said it is expanding into Jacksonville as part of a Southern growth strategy to compete with Wawa, RaceTrac, Daily’s, QuikTrip and other companies.
On the Move Corp. Executive Vice President Russell Parker said Monday the company has letters of intent to buy six Jacksonville locations that would be renovated for On the Move. He said he could identify the sites in January.
The Jacksonville expansion is part of a plan to buy up to 50 stores in Florida next year and rebrand them by On the Move, which was founded in early 2014 with five stores in South Florida.
The expansion also brings Stewart’s All American Corp. to the area.
Stewart’s, well known for its root beer and other soft drinks, serves burgers, hot dogs, fries, desserts and more.
Parker said the first Jacksonville store would open in the first quarter, pending approvals.
It takes about 30 days to rebrand them. He said all six should be open by the end of June.
Because the sites are existing buildings, renovations would take less time than building new structures, he said. On the Move also likes to build new structures, although those take a year to 18 months to develop.
“Jacksonville is one of the best demographics in Florida and Georgia,” he said. “Florida to us is key.”
Parker said On the Move wants to open 12 to 13 locations in Northeast Florida, with six in Duval County and another six or so in the surrounding area. The stores would feature either full or express Stewart’s restaurants.
“We want to be able to populate the geographic area,” he said.
The sites range from a half-acre to 2 acres, and offer eight to 16 fueling positions, he said. They range from 2,500 to 6,000 square feet in size and represent investments of $1 million to $3.5 million. The company also wants to offer alternative fuel.
Each store would hire 15 to 20 employees.
“Jacksonville offers significant opportunities for growth,” Parker said.
He said On the Move would open two to three locations in Jacksonville to start and expand from there. “It’s a gateway to the state of Florida and we don’t want to miss a great opportunity,” he said.
Boynton Beach-based On the Move said last week it and Stewart’s signed a 12-year development agreement that calls for 250 Stewart’s locations exclusive to On the Move convenience stores in Florida and Georgia.
Parker said the agreement calls for 25 locations in 2016.
On the Move Chairman R.J. Reitano said in a news release published by Restaurantnews.com that Stewart’s, established in 1924 and based in Rutherford, N.J., brings along a following from the Northeast.
Stewart’s “will contribute to our rapid expansion plans for the states of Florida and Georgia throughout 2016,” he said.
On the Move said it also will establish stand-alone units for Stewart’s in malls, airports and universities throughout Florida and Georgia. Parker said the company has not identified any such sites yet in Northeast Florida.
On the Move was founded last year to buy convenience stores in Florida and owned and operated five in Lake, Orange and Palm Beach counties as of a year ago when NAS announced a letter of intent to acquire it.
Parker said the company was founded by Reitano as chairman and Jay Seewald as president.
Miami Lakes-based NAS Acquisition Inc., led by Reitano, Parker and Seewald, acquired On the Move Corp. in a share-exchange agreement in November. Parker said it changed the NAS Acquisition name to On the Move.
At the time, On the Move said it intended to acquire more Florida convenience stores because of the growth potential in the state.
“Currently, the state of Florida consumes over 12 billion gallons of gas on an annual basis and grows by 1,000 new residents each day,” On the Move said in a news release.
Parker said after the company’s first acquisition of 50 stores, On the Move would start building new construction for 2017.
Parker said On the Move management has developed systems to bring quick and convenient access to On the Move’s services and products, “creating the next generation convenience store experience.”
He said the principals of the company have 90 years of collective experience and specialized knowledge operating in the industry. On the Move’s tagline is “Good Day Sunshine!”
EZ-FLO wants to expand in Westside
Pattillo Construction filed site plans to expand the 48,843-square-foot Building 6 in Westside Industrial Park by 24,150 square feet. Houston Engineering is the engineer.
The structure is at 8003 Westside Industrial Drive.
Pattillo reports the building’s occupant, EZ-FLO, wants to expand. EZ-FLO is a plumbing supply manufacturer and distributor.
The Lahlouh Family Limited Partnership bought the building in 2010. Family-owned EZ-FLO, based in Ontario, Calif., was founded in 1980 and is led by President Saleem Lahlouh.
EZ-FLO International Inc. makes and distributes plumbing products.
The ez-flo.net site shows six distribution centers in California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Texas and China.
The company did not return several phone calls for comment.
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