Circle K branding removed (hastily?) from 76 stations

[Brian Lutz]

A couple of years ago, a number of 76 stations in the area had their convenience stores rebranded to Circle K. I rarely visit these locations, but sometime within the past couple of months, it looks like all of these locations have had the circle K branding hastily covered up (as in painted plywood covering the logo on the sign) which seems to suggest a rather hasty separation of some sort. Does anyone know what might have happened here? These 76 stations were, as far as I know, the only representation Circle K has had in this area, and there's a good chance they just couldn't get a foothold against the ubiquitous 7-elevens you see all over the place around here.

[storewanderer]

The sites in question are owned and operated by http://www.pcandf.com . These used to be corporate owned stations by Conoco. These were the stations retained by Conoco when they sold Circle K to Couche Tard.

I was in a few of them in Northern California just over a week ago. A hasty separation is an understatement. They literally had posterboard covering some of the Circle K wall signage in the stores, tape covering over Circle K logos on the employee name badges...

http://www.pcandf.com does have its own store brand that I have seen used on three stores in Sacramento area: My Goods Modern Market. These were basically Circle K's in everything but name. One had an espresso bar, but they have largely given up on that.

I am disappointed by this change. I was suspicious earlier this year when the http://www.pcandf.com Circle Ks terminated participation in the 0.89 fountain/iced tea program, discontinued the iced tea, and increased the 44 ounce price to 1.49.

There are a few Couche Tard Circle Ks lurking around Seattle. I found them in Kent, Marysville, and Everett.

This is a significant loss for Circle K. This doesn't remove them from any markets explicitly, but it hurts the already spotty coverage they had in Denver, Seattle, Portland, and California.

The other block of previously corporate owned Conoco stations, purchased by http://www.pcandf.com then sold immediately to PCF Saleco (Albuquerque, Kansas City, and Salt Lake City), whoever that is, has not fared well either. These sites were without fuel sales toward the end of last year, did a similar hasty removal of Circle K branding last year, and I believe they were forced into an involuntary bankruptcy by some suppliers. This fully removed Circle K from Salt Lake City and Kansas City. Couche Tard has some corporate owned sites around Albuquerque.

[Super S]

For what it's worth, sometime last summer, the former Circle K at the Ridgefield exit on I-5 changed into a 7-Eleven store. It retained 76 gas also.

[storewanderer]

Yes, http://www.pcandf.com sold some number of sites scattered across its base to 7-11 a year or two ago. I have found sites sold in CA, OR, and WA. I didn't find any in CO, but I am guessing they sold some there too. Last I checked, the sold sites still show up on their store locator.

http://www.pcandf.com first acquired Time Oil/Jackpot Food Marts then the corporate Conoco sites. The Time/Jackpot things were all run by dealers with http://www.pcandf.com just acting as a fuel supplier and landlord, and the Conoco sites are a mix of some dealers and some company run sites.

[KingU8ol0Soopers]

I have seen several Conoco gas stations in my area turn fro Circle K into 7-11 during the past couple of months, although I am unsure if they are related at all to PCandF since their website still says all of there locations here are still Circle-K's.

[norcalriteaidclerk]

The sites in question are owned and operated by http://www.pcandf.com . These used to be corporate owned stations by Conoco. These were the stations retained by Conoco when they sold Circle K to Couche Tard.

I was in a few of them in Northern California just over a week ago. A hasty separation is an understatement. They literally had posterboard covering some of the Circle K wall signage in the stores, tape covering over Circle K logos on the employee name badges...

http://www.pcandf.com does have its own store brand that I have seen used on three stores in Sacramento area: My Goods Modern Market. These were basically Circle K's in everything but name. One had an espresso bar, but they have largely given up on that.

I am disappointed by this change. I was suspicious earlier this year when the http://www.pcandf.com Circle Ks terminated participation in the 0.89 fountain/iced tea program, discontinued the iced tea, and increased the 44 ounce price to 1.49.

There are a few Couche Tard Circle Ks lurking around Seattle. I found them in Kent, Marysville, and Everett.

This is a significant loss for Circle K. This doesn't remove them from any markets explicitly, but it hurts the already spotty coverage they had in Denver, Seattle, Portland, and California.

The other block of previously corporate owned Conoco stations, purchased by http://www.pcandf.com then sold immediately to PCF Saleco (Albuquerque, Kansas City, and Salt Lake City), whoever that is, has not fared well either. These sites were without fuel sales toward the end of last year, did a similar hasty removal of Circle K branding last year, and I believe they were forced into an involuntary bankruptcy by some suppliers. This fully removed Circle K from Salt Lake City and Kansas City. Couche Tard has some corporate owned sites around Albuquerque.

I've noticed that the Sunrise/Madison 76(which I regularly pass going to/from work)has red-plastered the Circle K exterior signage(both on the price sign and above the entrance).However I believe that there may be some freestanding Circle K units not run by PCF still present locally(one off Auburn Boulevard in Foothill Farms comes to mind)...

[storewanderer]

There are a number of franchised Circle Ks around Sacramento run by various people. Mostly Tooele Oil and Edward Marzel Enterprises whoever that is.

There are also a few Circle Ks corporate operated by Couche Tard:

Sunrise/Antelope Citrus Heights
Sunrise/Cirby Roseville
Auburn/Hemlock Sacramento
Manzanita Carmichael
Elk Grove Florin/Vintage Park Sacramento
Northgate/Rio Tierra Sacramento
Lake Blvd. Davis

[Super S]

The Ridgefield store I mentioned received a remodel when 7-Eleven took over. New lighting inside, new signage on the store, and a few other things to resemble a typical 7-Eleven. However, it retains a restroom that is accessed from the outside.

7-Eleven has been opening several new locations in nearby Vancouver over the last few years.