Older Circle K stores

[cjd]

I notice Circle K dumped a lot of those old 1970s units years ago. The ones where the convenience store part was small and only had two gas pumps out front without even a canopy over them.

There is one near me of that style that’s still operating with still no canopy, but looks like any other Circle K inside. Doesn’t look like there’s much room to expand or replace it but it still gets lots of traffic.

The rest here are larger stores from at least the 80s with much more pumps. One other older style Circle K was replaced by a much larger unit with many pumps maybe 7 or 8 years ago. Think that had more to do with a road realignment, the old store is still vacant.

Many of those old 70s Circle K stations stopped selling gas after the chain dumped these old locations and pumps torn out. And are now cell phone stores or places that look to just sell booze and lottery tickets.

[storewanderer]

I notice Circle K dumped a lot of those old 1970s units years ago. The ones where the convenience store part was small and only had two gas pumps out front without even a canopy over them.

There is one near me of that style that’s still operating with still no canopy, but looks like any other Circle K inside. Doesn’t look like there’s much room to expand or replace it but it still gets lots of traffic.

The rest here are larger stores from at least the 80s with much more pumps. One other older style Circle K was replaced by a much larger unit with many pumps maybe 7 or 8 years ago. Think that had more to do with a road realignment, the old store is still vacant.

Many of those old 70s Circle K stations stopped selling gas after the chain dumped these old locations and pumps torn out. And are now cell phone stores or places that look to just sell booze and lottery tickets.

A few of these lingered around Northern California as corporate operated Circle K but most eventually got moved to franchisees then debranded.

Still open:

Lake Blvd.-Davis
Manzanita Ave.-Carmichael
Hemlock Ave.-Sacramento
Yuba City

[Super S]

Boise had quite a few old Circle K stores which had vaulted ceilings with exposed wood beams and large windows on the front. Most of these did not have gas pumps. They were more like a neighborhood corner store, and some even had small shopping carts. I would guess these were late 60s or early 70s builds. They went on a remodeling spree in the 1980s to update the appearance of the stores, installing drop ceilings and covering up most of the front, as well as updated signage. Circle K pulled out of Boise a long time ago. A handful of these buildings are still around but can be hard to spot.

The top picture here is similar to the store design I am referencing (but did not have the arrow on the road sign):

http://www.historyadventuring.com/2020/ ... tores.html

[jamcool]

Most of the Phoenix Circle Ks used the design in the photo through the 70s, some had 2 sides of the roof front angled, with the edge of the roof shingled. Most of those have gone to other businesses/independent convenience or liquor stores. What few are still under Circle K ownership have been heavily modified.

[SamSpade]

Boise had quite a few old Circle K stores which had vaulted ceilings with exposed wood beams and large windows on the front. Most of these did not have gas pumps. They were more like a neighborhood corner store, and some even had small shopping carts. I would guess these were late 60s or early 70s builds. They went on a remodeling spree in the 1980s to update the appearance of the stores, installing drop ceilings and covering up most of the front, as well as updated signage. Circle K pulled out of Boise a long time ago. A handful of these buildings are still around but can be hard to spot.

The top picture here is similar to the store design I am referencing (but did not have the arrow on the road sign):

http://www.historyadventuring.com/2020/ ... tores.html

Jackson’s took over all the Idaho Circle K stores in the early ‘00s.

[Super S]

Jackson’s took over all the Idaho Circle K stores in the early ‘00s.

I wasn't sure if Circle K was taken over or just left. The locations I remember as Circle K that I have seen in Boise in recent years are various business and not Jacksons stores, as many of them did not have gas pumps.

[storewanderer]

Jackson’s took over all the Idaho Circle K stores in the early ‘00s.

I wasn't sure if Circle K was taken over or just left. The locations I remember as Circle K that I have seen in Boise in recent years are various business and not Jacksons stores, as many of them did not have gas pumps.

It is a little confusing as Jacksons has some not very nice former 7-11s in Boise too. The trick generally on former Circle Ks will be they have few gas pumps. However some newer Circle Ks could have actually been more modern 8 pump sites with corner style entries basically identical to the stores Texaco was developing (and Jacksons now has as Shell) through the 90's. I'm not sure if Boise had any of those more modern Circle Ks or not; Salt Lake City had some of them (Maverik was the buyer down there).

5797 West Overland is a former 7-Eleven
2450 South Vista is a former 7-Eleven

I suspect 791 North Garden is a former Circle K
2418 West Broadway in Idaho Falls is another definite former Circle K. They ran this one under some other name for years (Big Smoke or something) and had no gas pumps; I see they've since upgraded it and added pumps.