Love’s kicks off 50th anniversary

Love’s Travel Stops  kicked off its 50th anniversary by with founder and executive chairman Tom Love announcing the company would undergo a record year of building.

Love’s approximate growth rate is 20 new stores per year. However, the company will open as many as 30 new stores this year, Love said. The truck stop chain will also enters its 40th state – Maryland.

The travel stop in Cumberland, Md., is projected to open this fall. Love’s is also in the midst of reinvesting in its current locations. Several stores will be remodeled and expanded and some will undergo complete raze and rebuilds. Love’s will also continue to expand its Truck Tire Care centers. Facilities will be expanded to accommodate more services. The company is also adding compressed natural gas (CNG) to select fueling stations nationwide this year. All measures highlight the company’s commitment to keep its customers’ changing needs in focus.

The Love’s story began in 1964 when Tom and Judy Love leased an abandoned filling station in Watonga, Okla. What started as a small operation in Oklahoma with a handful of employees has grown to a network of 312 stores and counting in 39 states with more than 10,000 employees. Love’s remains a family-owned company and was recently ranked ninth in Forbes Magazine’s annual listing of America’s Largest Private Companies.