Dive Brief:
- South Carolina c-store chain Corner Pantry opened a location last month that significantly advances the company’s Corner Pantry Kitchen foodservice program that launched two years ago, Owner and CEO David Tucker Sr. told C-Store Dive.
- Although the foodservice program already operates at three other stores, the new location in Camden, S.C., “gives it the space and a flow that match the vision we had for it in development,” Tucker said.
- The larger, fuller foodservice setup offers a model for Corner Pantry’s stores moving forward, with the next location set to open in 2028, Tucker noted.
Dive Insight:
In addition to the Corner Pantry Kitchen foodservice program, which serves fresh food for breakfast and lunch, the new store in Camden is the first Corner Pantry to feature a Botrista craft beverage machine, which makes drinks like frappes, refreshers and milkshakes, Tucker said.
The store also features a dedicated island with bean-to-cup coffee, a beverage station with frozen and fountain drinks, a beer cave and grab-and-go food options, according to a news announcement.
John McCauley, partner and director of brand design with Paragon Solutions, which handled branding and design work for the new store, said the location is the company’s fifth in the Camden market. Corner Pantry wanted to create a store that helps bolster its brand and connect with the community.
“It’s built to feel like a neighborhood spot, with fresh daily foodservice and bean-to-cup coffee front and center, and a layout meant to invite people in rather than just move them through,” he said.
Corner Pantry operates 26 stores in South Carolina’s Midlands.
