Illinois Tollway Welcomes 7-Eleven to Oases

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Feb. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Illinois Tollway announced today that 7-Eleven® stores will replace ExxonMobil outlets in the remaining 17 years of the lease agreement for all seven Illinois Tollway Oases.

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The new agreement with 7-Eleven, Inc. of Dallas includes maintenance and operations responsibilities for Mobil fuel stations at the Tollway Oases located throughout Northern Illinois and will ensure seamless continuation of services for Tollway customers. 7-Eleven will take responsibility for the Oases sites, including 13 Mobil fuel stations, convenience stores and car washes.

"7-Eleven is a nationally recognized brand, and we're pleased to have them as a new partner," said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur. "Our goal is to provide the highest level of service to our customers and 7-Eleven is a welcome addition."

By the end of March, all of these convenience stores will be rebranded as 7-Eleven operations. Fuel stations will retain the Mobil gasoline brand, allowing customers to continue to purchase Mobil-brand fuel and use the ExxonMobil credit card at the gas pumps and inside the stores.  In addition, the convenience stores will offer consumers 7-Eleven's signature products, such as Slurpee® and Big Gulp® beverages, fresh foods, self-serve coffee and a wide variety of cold drinks, along with standard convenience-store items.

"Acquisitions are part of our aggressive growth strategy.  This acquisition gives our brand great visibility in Chicagoland and provides more opportunity for us to serve consumers there with 7-Eleven-style convenience," said Sean Duffy, 7-Eleven vice president of mergers and acquisitions. "These ExxonMobil sites add to the approximately 750 locations that 7-Eleven, Inc. has acquired since the beginning of 2008 when we significantly ramped up our expansion efforts."

The Tollway Oases provide a variety of food, beverage and retail offerings, as well as fuel stations. On the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80), there are four oases: Lake Forest, O'Hare, Hinsdale and Chicago Southland Lincoln in South Holland.  There are two oases on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) in Belvidere and Des Plaines, and one on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) in DeKalb.  

About the Illinois Tollway

The Illinois Tollway is a user-fee system that receives no state or federal funds for maintenance and operations.  The agency maintains and operates 286 miles of interstate tollways in 12 counties in Northern Illinois, including the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) and the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80).

About 7-Eleven, Inc.

7-Eleven, Inc. is the premier name and largest chain in the convenience retailing industry. Based in Dallas, Texas, 7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses more than 8,300 7-Eleven® stores in North America. Globally, 7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses more than 39,000 stores in 16 countries. During 2009, 7-Eleven stores worldwide generated total sales of more than $58.9 billion. 7-Eleven has been honored by a number of companies and organizations recently. Accolades include: #2 on the Forbes "Top Franchise for the Money," #4 spot on Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 list for 2009, #3 in Forbes magazine's Top 20 Franchises to Start, #3 among Top 100 Global Franchises by Franchise Direct, #3 in Store Growth by Convenience Store News, #2 in Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Companies and #29 among Top 100 Chains in Food Service. In addition, Hispanic Magazine named 7-Eleven in its Hispanic Corporate Top 100 Companies that provide the most opportunities to Hispanics. 7-Eleven recently was selected by three diversity publications as a company offering the best career and franchisee opportunities. 7-Eleven is franchising its stores in the U.S., and is expanding through organic growth, acquisitions and its Business Conversion Program. In addition, the company received the 2009 Shopper-Centric Marketing Innovation from Symphony IRI and the 2010 Retailer of the Year award from PL Buyer because of the company's private-label brand program. Find out more online at www.7-Eleven.com.

America. Globally, 7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses close to 39,500 stores in 16 countries. Find out more online at www.7-Eleven.com.

SOURCE 7-Eleven, Inc.