What has been a rumor for some time has been confirmed by the Love’s corporate office – Store #1 is going to close. The last day of business at that location will be December 29.
But don’t start wringing your hands just yet. In its place will rise a Love’s Musuem, memorializing the company’s beginnings in 1964 and its impact on the industry as it changed highway stops from gas stations to places where travelers could eat, rest and refresh themselves for the road ahead.
Details are still being finalized, but construction is anticipated to start in January. The museum is expected to open at the end of the year. All team members at Love’s #1 will have roles at nearby Love’s locations.
Plans include demolition of a white block building next door to accommodate parking.
Jenny Love Meyer, chief culture officer and EVP of Love's, wrote, 'The Love's Museum will give customers a chance to truly see the journey of Love's, from a single store in Watonga, Oklahoma, to a national network that serves hundreds of millions of people a year. It will be a place that honors my mom and dad and highlights the path the company took to get to where it is today. One of our core values is to focus on the customer in everything we do, and the Love's Museum will provide an engaging outlet for generations of people who have chosen Love's along their journey.'
The Love's Museum will highlight the company’s distinguished brand and illustrate its journey from modest beginnings in 1964 to becoming a leading travel center network with more than 660 locations across the country and amenities that go far beyond gas and convenience items. The museum will honor Love's co-founders Tom and Judy Love, and history will come to life through interactive displays, iconic artifacts and memorabilia such as hand written notes from Tom, past uniforms and badges and newspaper ads.
Visitors of the museum will be able to purchase exclusive Store #1 merchandise and light snacks
(ABOVE) Love’s No. 1 as it originally appeared in the 1960s. The location will soon become a museum chronicling the growth of the company