New gas station — result of Bahamas Bowl sponsorship — coming to Elk Grove – Chicago Daily Herald

Elk Grove Village has formally approved plans for a Love's gas station -- the first bricks-and-mortar example of a business attracted to town through the village's unconventional sponsorship of a college football game

The 7,600-square-foot store and fueling station with nearly two dozen pumps will be built on four acres it's leasing at the northwest corner of Busse Road and Pratt Boulevard, in the village's sprawling industrial park. Construction is scheduled to start next spring.

Marketing the six-square-mile business park -- the nation's largest -- was the aim behind Elk Grove's $300,000 sponsorship of the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl last December in Nassau, Bahamas.

And it was because a Love's executive was watching the game on ESPN that he says he first learned of the town and started to take a serious look at opening a location there.

Chad Bruner, the real estate project manager for the Oklahoma City-based gas station chain, was back in Elk Grove Tuesday night to get sign variations and special use approval from the village board to operate the 24-hour gas station and convenience store.

He said most Love's locations are located along highways -- like the one in Hampshire along the Jane Addams Tollway -- but now the company plans to expand into urban areas.

The Elk Grove location along Busse Road is heavily traveled by cars and trucks, which has local officials pleased for what the business could mean for sales tax revenues. They've estimated the gas pumps and in-store sales could generate millions in taxes in the first few years.

"That's a lot of trucks. That's a lot of potential business," said Mayor Craig Johnson. "Love's is picking up on that."

Bruner said the gas pumps will be open 24/7, and the convenience store will also offer those hours initially, though it may cut back on overnight hours depending on business. The store will have its standard coffee bar and hot dog rollers, but also offer branded fast food offerings: Chester's Chicken and Godfather's Pizza.

The location will employ as many as 40 full- and part-time workers.

Bruner said the company will submit detailed plans to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and Illinois Department of Transportation for review and approval.

Love's plans to open by the end of next year.

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New gas station -- result of Bahamas Bowl sponsorship -- coming to Elk Grove - Chicago Daily Herald