(Updated with grand opening information) Hollins BP opens today and is seeking a fast food restaurant
The Hollins BP opens today. Photo by Amanda Codispoti
Updated Nov. 12: The gas station is having a grand opening and ribbon cutting Nov. 15 from 10 a.m to 5 p.m.. The event includes $1,000 in prizes, free coffee and hot dogs. The address is 8111 Plantation Road.
Thanks for the warm welcome back and for all your questions. I’ve made a list of things to look into, and will write blog posts as I find answers. As always, don’t be shy if you have something on your mind. You can leave a comment on the blog, or email me at amanda.codispoti@roanoke.com.
Over the past few months several readers have asked what was going up next to McDonald’s on Plantation Road, just off Interstate 81.
It is obvious now that all the construction was to build a BP gas station and convenience store, which opens today. But as blog reader Original Greg pointed out in a comment on Monday’s what’s-on-your-mind post, there was a lingering question about what was going in a small space next to the convenience store.
Gas station owner Jatin Patel tells me he is looking for a fast food restaurant to occupy the 1,200 square foot space. He didn’t build out the space with a kitchen because he knew whichever restaurant occupied the space would have its own specifications.
The gas station has eight pumps and sells diesel. The pumps feature small TV screens that play advertisements and clips from sports games.
Inside, the 2,400 square foot store is stocked with snacks , drinks and a coffee bar.
What restaurant would you like to see next to the convenience store?
October 24, 2012 - 6:00 AM
I would like to see a LOCALLY owned & operated coffee shop open there. . . yep. . .thats right. . .NO Starbucks. . .
Thanks for the update Amanda. Being that I live on this side of town and we have pretty much everything else, I would like to see a Dunkin Donuts go in there. Not sure that they would since it doesn’t look like the space will accomodate a drive thru though.
I know I would like to see something a little different like another Chick-fil-a or even something along the lines of Chipotle. Something different other than another Wendy’s/Subway, would definitely draw in Hollins students! (:
I don’t know how he expects to pull that off with McDonald’s right next door. Obviously opening a gas station/convenience store right next door is no problem, but did the zoning board approve the space for a fast-food restaurant? I’d assume McDonald’s would have some kind of agreement not to have a competitor so close to them, right?
I’m with OG… a Dunkin Donuts would be great!!!
While I’m all for local business, a coffee vendor in that space would be insane. McDonald’s would absolutely kill them and they are 50 feet away. Mr. Patel would be better served to find a hair salon or something to fill that space – and their customers would likely pop into his store for drinks and snacks.
You all raise a good point that whatever goes in there will have to offer something that McDonald’s doesn’t, such as donuts. Spiny, I’m thinking that area is zoned commercial, and seeing as how you frequently see several fast food restaurants grouped together I’m not sure if there is anything McDonald’s can do to thrwart another fast food restaurant from setting up nearby.
I think a Taco Bell would do well.
I doubt Burger King, Wendy’s, Hardees, or Subway would go in there since they are all already located less than a mile from that BP & McDonalds, too.
They’re all just down the street and around the corner on Williamson Rd.
Whatever fast food place does go there should do fine though, because it’s a easy stop off of I-81. People traveling on the interstate want something close to the exit/entrance ramp so they can get right back on the road.
You’d think it would be a bad idea to put that BP in it’s location since 2 convenient stores/gas stations are already directly across the street.
But people who are traveling on the BP side of the road will stop there just so they don’t have to try to cross traffic lanes coming back out of the other stores across the road.
It would be great to have a Dairy Queen on this side of town. We all have to go to Vinton or Salem for those delicious blizzard treats!
little ceasers pizza would be great
It would be nice if Blue Collar Joe’s would investigate the space . . . with Wachovia, hotels, retail, and manufacturing located so close by (plus Hollins College) it could work! Yummy donuts, coffees, plus sandwiches for lunch crowd.
A Dunkin would suit me well, though as someone who remembers their “time to make the doughnuts” ad campaign and the even earlier four-hour replacement rule, I’m bound to be disappointed, inasmuch as today any DD, anywhere, after 9 am is likely to be selling stale doughnuts.
After many years in the West, I’d look forward to a decent grilled chicken place, say, Pollo Loco, rather than another boring fried chicken franchise.
I have been told Mr. Patel also owns the two convenience stores across the road. If so I do not beleive competion is going to be a problem
How about Roanoke Bagel?
I would love a Dunkin Donuts!!!!!!
No offense, but I don’t think Mr. Patel would want another failed Blue Collar Joe’s business endeavor in there. BCJ’s does not have the best track record.
Amanda, I just wasn’t sure if there’s a general zoning “non-compete” arrangement like there sometimes is in a shopping center. I was actually thinking of the Szechuan situation at Towne Square, since a similar restaurant wasn’t supposed to open nearby. I suppose it’s a free-for-all on public streets, but there’s just so much anti-competitive effort put forth by big chains these days. I thought there might have been something in McD’s zoning that might prohibit another burger joint next door, which of course would allow a convenience store. I just thought maybe Mr. Patel was going to get an unpleasant surprise when he tried to bring in a fast food restaurant as well, but I guess not.
Woody, I have actually found several out-of-date items on the shelves in at least one of those other stores, so I assume this one will be no different if it’s the same owner. I drive by these stores every day, but rarely stop in, especially after finding those items. I guess they’re just intended as “tourist traps” where people just stop at the first stores they find off of the interstate, so they’re not really for locals anyway. The gas is always at least 5 cents higher than just a few blocks away, so there’s no motivation at all for someone who lives here to visit those stores, and I’d expect the same to hold true for the new one. The prospect of a new fast food place is promising though, especially if it’s a DQ or DD/BR, since I visit that McDonald’s often.
I think that a Taco Bell would be best. They seem to have a pretty good track record of opening up stores inside gas station/convience stores.
Spiny Norman is 100% correct, I pass these stores by, over priced everything. McDonald’s is the only reason I stop in that area.
Just to clarify “Spiny Norman” a non-competition clause would only apply if the landlord who leased the McDonald’s location also developed and leased the new bp location and had wrote a clause into the initial McDonald’s lease (or ground lease). Even then, this is unlikely in free-standing properties.
In the situation you referenced, Szechuan had a non-compete clause in their lease with the landlord of the strip center they were in, but this does nothing to prevent competition from opening in other strip centers, across the street,etc. As was the case with the Szechuan/other buffet, two leasing agents, two strip centers, one unhappy business owner.
As far as zoning, it cannot prevent or benefit one restauranteur vs another.Visit municcode.com and you can navigate to the zoning ordinances for Roanoke County and review exactly what is/is not permitted.
BTW, a Duncan Donuts or Tim Horton’s has my vote.
There was a deli/pizzeria in the Shell across the street when it opened and it never took off. I don’t think anything but a well known branded food service will do well in these places as they attract so much Interstate traffic and that is what travelers buy, branded items.
How about another Roanoke Weiner Stand?
Amanda,
Didn’t know what thread to tack this onto, but the Megaly Taco Truck on Plantation Road seems to have closed, although it is still parked behind the store. Any idea what happened? Thanks.
@Art: Feel free to ask questions on any thread, or email me. Thanks for the info on the taco truck. In which store’s parking lot is it parked? Maybe I can give them a call and find out what’s going on.
@Art: I talked to the store, and they said the lady who ran the taco truck moved. We were having a hard time understanding each other, but I believe the man I spoke with said someone else would reopen the taco truck along Williamson Road.