A-Plus
Encyclopedia
APlus is an American
convenience store
chain owned & operated by Sunoco
, Inc.
The chain began life as the convenience store chain for Atlantic Petroleum
in 1985, which was spun off from ARCO
, Inc. (ARCO itself was formed from the 1966 merger of Atlantic and Richfield Oil.) This was in response to more gas stations having convenience stores instead of auto garages in order to keep down the cost of gasoline
.
In 1988, Sunoco bought Atlantic, and since Sunoco didn't have its own convenience store chain, APlus became Sunoco's chain by default. While Atlantic stations were converted to Sunoco by the mid-1990s, APlus grew, with Sunoco rebranding many company-owned stations in the Northeast with convenience stores into APlus. Sunoco has even converted some garages into convenience stores with the APlus brand.
Sunoco still used the APlus logo from the Atlantic days until 1999, when Sunoco updated its own logo and completely redesigning APlus's logo, giving it a more Sunoco look.
The split between company-owned and franchised
locations is about 50/50.
Originally a Northeastern US brand, Sunoco has rapidly expanded the APlus moniker. In 2001, Sunoco expanded APlus into the Southeastern United States
by purchasing 193 of Marathon Oil
's Speedway SuperAmerica
convenience stores—115 in Florida
, 62 in South Carolina
, 13 in North Carolina
, and 3 in Georgia
. Further expansion is being pushed as part of Sunoco's NASCAR
sponsorship, where APlus is known as the "Official Pit Stop of NASCAR".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
chain owned & operated by Sunoco
Sunoco
Sunoco Inc. is an American petroleum and petrochemical manufacturer headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, formerly known as Sun Company Inc. and Sun Oil Co. ....
, Inc.
The chain began life as the convenience store chain for Atlantic Petroleum
Atlantic Petroleum
Atlantic Petroleum was an oil company in the Eastern United States headquartered in Philadelphia, and a direct descendant of the Standard Oil Trust. It was also one of the companies that merged with Richfield Oil to form ARCO, now part of BP...
in 1985, which was spun off from ARCO
ARCO
Atlantic Richfield Company is an oil company with operations in the United States as well as in Indonesia, the North Sea, and the South China Sea. It has more than 1,300 gas stations in the western part of the United States. ARCO was originally formed by the merger of East Coast-based Atlantic...
, Inc. (ARCO itself was formed from the 1966 merger of Atlantic and Richfield Oil.) This was in response to more gas stations having convenience stores instead of auto garages in order to keep down the cost of gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
.
In 1988, Sunoco bought Atlantic, and since Sunoco didn't have its own convenience store chain, APlus became Sunoco's chain by default. While Atlantic stations were converted to Sunoco by the mid-1990s, APlus grew, with Sunoco rebranding many company-owned stations in the Northeast with convenience stores into APlus. Sunoco has even converted some garages into convenience stores with the APlus brand.
Sunoco still used the APlus logo from the Atlantic days until 1999, when Sunoco updated its own logo and completely redesigning APlus's logo, giving it a more Sunoco look.
The split between company-owned and franchised
Franchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
locations is about 50/50.
Originally a Northeastern US brand, Sunoco has rapidly expanded the APlus moniker. In 2001, Sunoco expanded APlus into the Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
by purchasing 193 of Marathon Oil
Marathon Oil
Marathon Oil Corporation is a United States-based oil and natural gas exploration and production company. Principal exploration activities are in the United States, Norway, Equatorial Guinea, Angola and Canada. Principal development activities are in the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway,...
's Speedway SuperAmerica
Speedway SuperAmerica
Speedway LLC is the operator of a chain of combination gas stations and convenience stores in the Midwest and South of the United States operating under the Speedway brand name. Speedway LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Marathon Petroleum Company...
convenience stores—115 in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 62 in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, 13 in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, and 3 in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. Further expansion is being pushed as part of Sunoco's NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
sponsorship, where APlus is known as the "Official Pit Stop of NASCAR".
Products
Here is a list of products offered at APlus locations:- Gulliver's Coffee — APlus's gourmet coffee. Competes with Circle KCircle KCircle K is an international chain of convenience stores, founded in 1951, in El Paso, Texas, United States. It is owned and operated by the Canadian-based Alimentation Couche-Tard.-Overview:...
's Millstone coffee and SheetzSheetzSheetz, Inc. is a chain of gas stations/convenience stores owned by the Sheetz family. Stores are located in Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia....
's Sheetz Bros. Coffee. - City Deli — APlus's hot foods area. Likely conceived to compete with Sheetz's MTO's, which overlap APlus in several areas in PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, though it's more similar to Giant EagleGiant EagleGiant Eagle, Inc., is a supermarket chain with stores in the U.S. states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. The company was founded in 1918 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Supermarket News ranked Giant Eagle No. 21 in the 2009 "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" based on 2008...
's GetGo Kitchen at their GetGo chain. Currently available only at newer, larger locations.