ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Kum & Go is opening its first store in the Salt Lake City market, the first of several locations set to open in the next year. The Iowa-based retailer also will open stores in South Jordan, Murray and Herriman, Utah, in the first half of 2023.
“We are beyond excited to open our first store in Salt Lake City,” said Tanner Krause, chief executive officer at Kum & Go. “This is the culmination of years of work by our associates who are passionate about making days better in retail. We believe Utahns will enjoy Kum & Go’s fresh perspective to the convenience industry and look forward to significant growth in the area for years to come.”
Kum & Go is rooted in its purpose to “Make Days Better,” and focuses on three pillars of excellence: people, philanthropy and planet. The retailer is currently partnered with the Field of Dreams Salt Lake Valley Habitat for Humanity build, of which the Kum & Go-sponsored home is projected to be completed in spring 2023. The energy-efficient development will include 20 homes with an interior communal greenspace.
(Read The Big Question column by Kum & Go CEO Krause in the September 2022 issue of NACS Magazine to find out how Kum & Go prioritizes corporate social responsibility.)
“It is one of the highlights of my career to be able to help open and operate these stores in the Salt Lake City market,” said Candi Vuyk, district supervisor at Kum & Go, who is originally from Provo, Utah. “I can’t wait to return to Utah and discover all the ways Kum & Go can make a difference in the community.”
Kum & Go is hiring for multiple positions across all Salt-Lake-City-area stores, including full-time and part-time positions starting at $15.25 an hour for store associates and $16.50 an hour for food associates. Full-time positions offer a comprehensive benefits package and set schedules with consistent hours.
Salt Lake City is just the beginning for Kum & Go’s new market ventures. The company also plans to open stores in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at the beginning of 2023, with Boise, Idaho, and Detroit, Michigan, to follow suit.
Kum & Go was featured in the 2017 NACS Ideas to Go series. To view this video and the latest ones in the series, visit Ideas 2 Go.
Meanwhile, Thorntons announced the opening of its newest Ohio store—and the first in Symmes Township. The company now operates a total of 17 stores in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area.
This new 4,400 square foot facility is set on 1.5 acres and features amenities including self-checkout, LED lighting, freshly made burritos and sandwiches, fresh bean-to-cup coffee and ice-cold fountain beverages with nugget ice and 14 fueling positions.
Thorntons invites the community to help celebrate the opening on December 16. Beginning at 6 a.m., the first 100 customers will receive a free swag bag. In addition, there will be a grand opening celebration from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Event activities include music, games and giveaways.
During tomorrow’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, Debi Boffa, president, will present Last Mile Food Bank with a $2,500 donation. This contribution is in honor of the new store opening and is part of Thorntons’ ongoing commitment to help feed the hungry in the communities it operates.