After over 25 years of serving the Mid-Columbia, most of the familiar Sun-Mart Stores are now converting over to Circle K.The sale of 27 Sun Marts in S.E. Washington was announced earlier this summer,  Canadian based Couche-Tard purchased the Tri-City based outlets, and this week the signs began changing.

Couche-Tard has holdings that include over 5,000 stores in the U.S., Canada and Europe.  18 Tri-City Sun-Marts are converting over, and a total of 27 throughout Eastern Washington. Although the exact details of any changes in products and services were not spelled out, the stores will be converting from Shell gasoline to Exxon.  Officials say about 95% of the Sun-Mart employees will be staying on with the new company.

A search of business and economic journals shows over the last few years, Circle K has been acquiring a significant number of stores by buying up other chains, including Florida, and California.   The complete transition is expected to be finished by the end of the year.

 

More From 870 AM KFLD