Pilot/Flying J new brand: One 9 Travel Center

[storewanderer]

For some reason Pilot/Flying J has added another travel center brand to its portfolio called One 9 Travel Center.

Some of these One 9 units are corporate operated and some are dealer sites (same as Pilot and Flying J).

The old/long standing corporate Pilot in Carlin, NV has for some reason been converted to a One 9 Travel Center. Maybe because it is a really small site with limited amenities.

They are also building a new One 9 Travel Center in McCarran, NV between Reno and Fernley. This appears to be a corporate site. Pilot already has an old but large corporate Pilot site in Fernley and a newer corporate Flying J (former Terrible Herbst truck stop, they still run the casino) in Fernley.

[jamcool]

One 9 is mostly independent operators-there is one in Quartsite AZ that sells ARCO fuel and specializes in Indian Food.

[storewanderer]

One 9 was supposed to be a fleet network of sorts. Odd they would build a brand new site and brand it with the branding as they are doing here in NV. The Pilot brand seems strong enough I would think they should just open with that name. I'm sure everything inside will say Pilot anyway (if it is a corporate site) just like the way it is with Flying J.

[storewanderer]

Went to this One 9 Travel Center.

The casino is branded "Lucky's Casino" rather than "Pilot Casino" like their other casinos in NV are.

The store interior is very spartan; cement flooring, very basic finishes, and the space inside seemed underutilized/under merchandised; limited drink equipment compared to typical Pilot locations. Cups say Pilot. The food counter is basically the old Flying J fuel desk food counter (pizza slices and fried chicken wings) type of thing but it is a separate counter from the cashiers with a good sized prep area in back and you could easily flip that to a counter serve franchise format like a Subway or something.

Restroom and shower areas were finished better than the store with tiles floor to ceiling and looked more like a normal Pilot site. These take up about 35% of the building. Great design with sinks completely isolated from toilet areas (opposite wall), also three separate paper towel dispensers located on a wall away from the sinks each with a trash drop below to keep traffic moving. Reminded me of an airport.

Also they have 3 self checkouts and all "car" customers were forced to use those.

So overall this One 9 seems to be for sites that don't get to look as nice as a typical Pilot/Flying J, don't have as much to offer, no franchise food, etc.

I am surprised they didn't do a full/legitimate Pilot/Flying J in this location but maybe if it does well enough it'll flip over to a full location.

[wnetmacman]

One 9 is to Pilot/Flying J as RaceWay is to RaceTrac. They are a way for P/FJ to reach more with franchising and independent ownership. I have seen several non-Pilot sites and a couple of former Pilots that were rotated out and sold that are now One 9 centers.

Here's their website: https://one9fuelnetwork.com/ that gives a better explanation.

[storewanderer]

One 9 is to Pilot/Flying J as RaceWay is to RaceTrac. They are a way for P/FJ to reach more with franchising and independent ownership. I have seen several non-Pilot sites and a couple of former Pilots that were rotated out and sold that are now One 9 centers.

Here's their website: https://one9fuelnetwork.com/ that gives a better explanation.

The site I went to is corporate operated and newly opened. Maybe they develop the site with the goal to move it to a franchise later?

But Pilot and Flying J both have dealers too... Sacramento has a Pilot dealer, Battle Mountain NV has a Flying J Dealer. Both dealers for many many years. Basically they just use a Pilot register.

[wnetmacman]

The site I went to is corporate operated and newly opened. Maybe they develop the site with the goal to move it to a franchise later?

But Pilot and Flying J both have dealers too... Sacramento has a Pilot dealer, Battle Mountain NV has a Flying J Dealer. Both dealers for many many years. Basically they just use a Pilot register.

They do have other dealers, but I believe the goal is to convert any non-Pilot owned location to One9.