The Pump’n Pete’s franchise at 1810 East St. closed Monday.
The store, more commonly known as Lucky Stop, was one of three in the Iola and Gas areas.
The closing was due to poor performance over the past five years since being acquired by Petes Corporation, said the company’s owner, Gratz Peters.
The building has been sold to Larry Macha, who owns Jump Start Travel Center to the west. Macha said his plans were to convert the building to a fitness center. He hopes to have it open by fall.
Peters said the convenience store’s poor performance was attributable in part to “antiquated and protectionist Kansas liquor and beer laws” that have not changed since the state’s drinking age was raised to 21 in 1988.
Kansas remains one of only four states in the country with 3.2 cereal malt beverage laws on the books, Peters said.
“As a result, many convenience stores and rural grocery stores in Kansas have closed in recent years,” Peters said.
Pump’n Pete’s will maintain its two other stores in the Iola area, at 709 N. State St. in Iola and along U.S. 54 in Gas, as well as ones in Moran, Humboldt, Yates Center and Chanute.
Petes Corporation, headquartered in Parsons, has 30 convenience stores in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.
Lucky Stop closes
