Dive Brief:
- Wally’s is expected to open its first location in Indiana in the next two months, Michael Rubenstein, founder, president and CEO of the Midwest travel center chain, confirmed to C-Store Dive.
- Located in the small town of Whitestown about 20 miles northwest of Indianapolis, the site will feature a 54,000-square-foot convenience store, 84 fueling positions and roughly 300 parking spots. This will be the third Wally’s and, once built, the retailer’s largest location to date, Rubenstein has previously said.
- In Indiana, Wally’s will enter a state that has suddenly become a competitive hotspot for c-stores, as several operators have recently opened or revealed plans to debut in the Hoosier State.
Dive Insight:
Wally’s, whose other two locations are in Illinois and Missouri, has had Indiana in its sights for years. Rubenstein first told C-Store Dive of the retailer’s intentions to enter the state in mid-2023 and had initially expected to begin building that year. Although construction was pushed to late 2024 over approval delays, Wally’s largest location to date appears nearly complete.
In an email to C-Store Dive on Monday, Rubenstein said he and his team are anticipating the location’s doors to likely open during the second week of June. Representatives from the town of Whitestown did not respond by press time when asked to comment.
“Food, retail and [the] c-store will all be similar to our current offerings, just larger and more robust!” Rubenstein said on Monday.
Wally’s is often compared to Texas-based supersized travel center chain Buc-ee’s for its stores’ massive scale, personable branding and private-label merchandise. The Indiana location will be nearly 50% larger than its Illinois store, which stands around 30,000 square feet. Meanwhile, its Missouri location is about 36,000 square feet. Rubinstein added in a LinkedIn post last week that Wally’s recently broke ground on its fourth location and its second in Missouri.
In late 2024, Rubenstein said the Indiana location would feature what he called “interactive food stations,” including Wally’s Sandwich House, as well as popcorn, bakery and pizza setups. Wally’s stores are traditionally separated into multiple zones, with areas for items like traditional c-store goods, fresh foods and Wally’s-branded merchandise. Rubenstein also said at that time the location would have about 20 electric vehicle charging positions and larger parking spots for vehicles like RVs or those towing boats.
Wally’s is the latest convenience retailer to reach Indiana as the Midwestern state becomes a battleground for super-regional chains. Over the past few years, QuikTrip, Wawa and RaceTrac all opened their first stores in the state. Earlier this month, Sheetz revealed a $1 billion expansion plan into the state that includes 100 stores.
