‘SPENDING TIME’: LAFAYETTE DRAWS BIG-NAME GAS STATIONS, BUT THEY’RE NOT WHAT THEY USED TO BE
January 29, 2025, LAFAYETTE, INDIANA —
A trip to the gas station isn’t quite what it used to be. In 2025, it’s become a destination of sorts.
Few things have changed about gassing up, unless you’re looking all the way back to 1973, when Indiana legalized self-service fuel stations. But the business around gas stations has sure changed.
Tiffany Cring, director of marketing for Leo’s Market and Eatery, said that for the Greenfield, Ind.-based gas and eatery chain, the opportunity to fill up your car is just an added convenience to fueling your body.
“It’s a one-stop shop,” Cring said. “With the eatery, we have something special to offer. It’s always a hurdle getting people past the pumps and into the doors, but what we are offering is something really unique.”
Leo’s celebrated its official opening here on Jan. 9, just seven months after news broke of its expansion from the Greater Indianapolis market into the Lafayette area. Before the end of summer, Wawa, the east coast gas station chain, had filed a permit to build Lafayette’s first location just a little over a mile east of Leo’s along South Street.
Gas stations, both of simple and destination-based concepts, continue to pop up around Greater Lafayette, with more planned in 2025. But what is it about Lafayette that draws developers of these businesses? And will we ever reach capacity?
As it turns out, big money is to be made in the fuel station business, and there’s still money lying on Greater Lafayette’s table.
A metro area of Indianapolis, developers say
When Leo’s began scouting for property to expand their location portfolio, Cring said the company started by looking at cities similar to Indianapolis.
“We review sites all of the time, and we get requests from cities to review property that have expressed they want a Leo’s,” Cring said. “The people of Lafayette have really embraced us. They are very active on social media, and our pages have gained a ton of new followers. Their engagement with Leo’s has been really exciting.”
A commercial real estate broker, who asked not to be named because of competing project deals in the works, said Lafayette’s similarities to Indianapolis are what draw national chains and businesses.
A lot of the draw comes down to loyalty, he said.
“Lafayette is a chain town, and it’s big enough that it can support competing chains, and that’s part of what brought in Raising Cane’s,” he said. “Developers like to see loyalty, and when you look at Lafayette, it has great sales volume from a lot of different retail groups. Having a large school like Purdue is absolutely a draw for a lot of these businesses, too.”
What holds back certain developers, however, the broker said, is the lack of available land.
“A lot of places only want to build on State Road 26, and there are a few that have been waiting for years to get in here,” he said. “There are some chains that require a certain acreage in order to build, and it’s a competitive market.”
Having experience with brokering several chain restaurant deals, the broker said he’s heard feedback that opening weeks for new business locations along Indiana 26 have been the best in a chain’s history.
In about 90 days, a new gas station is born
The cost to build a gas station is hardly anything to blink at, either. Leo’s Market and Eatery came at a price tag of $5 million, according to permits filed with the city of Lafayette.
The estimated cost for each Wawa location, permits show, is $2.2 million.
A good chunk of that price tag comes from the cost associated with installing fuel tanks, fuel lines, dispensers and canopies over the pumps. Jamie Dahmen, general manager at Oscar Larson, a general contracting company specializing in petroleum services, said that depending on the size of the fuel station’s operation, it could cost $1 million to $2 million.
But there some locations are pending, according to permits, that are estimated to be less than $1 million. A newly opened Marathon gas station, located at 3029 Old Romney Road, came at a price tag of $598,319, permit reports show.
But at 3829 Indiana 38 E., home to the long-shuttered Kyger Bakery, a permit filed for construction of a new gas station and convenience store shows an expected cost of $750,000 for the new build.
Lafayette isn’t alone in the never-ending pop-up of gas stations, either. The commercial broker said large companies are looking at any city within an 80-mile radius of Indianapolis, including Kokomo, Bloomington, Bartersville and Greenwood.
For Terry Bussell, a contractor with Jim Allen Maintenance out of Muncie, said he installs the equipment needed for new gas stations daily. Having completed the work for the new Leo’s location, Bussell said he’s worked on about four other gas station builds in the Lafayette area.
The fuel tanks for a gas station come with a 30-year warranty, Bussell said, with most lasting well beyond that time frame before a new one needs installed. Although Bussell said he mostly works on new construction, he has worked on several tank replacement projects as well.
But what happens to a shuttered gas station? The commercial broker said the cost to remove an old tank from the ground of a property that isn’t set to be a gas station can be costly, though he couldn’t provide a ball-park price.
On example is the former gas station at 1930 S. Fourth St., which is on the smaller side for a station of today’s proportions.
“The traffic that site sees probably wouldn’t be viable for a new gas station to come in, and its size makes things more difficult,” he said. “To a developer, looking at that just doesn’t appeal as a good investment opportunity.”
Fueling an experience, as well as your car
When customers are drawn in past the gas pumps at Leo’s, for instance, they’re greeted by two counters and an array of options.
Sure, there’s your bottled beverages and candy, but there are aisles and sections devoted to just groceries, too. Colorful displays of fresh produce, like fruit, bell peppers, heads of lettuce and baskets of mushrooms await customers, while a wall section of the coolers features a variety of dairy products and chilled goods.
Cring said much like the convenience of gas, Leo’s is known for the convenience of fresh dinner ingredients, too.
“I had a customer tell me about how his wife sent him to the store for feta cheese, and he by chance stopped into a Leo’s on his way to the store and we had it, which saved him another trip,” Cring said. “We have a lot of items that you would typically find in a farmer’s market, and we partner with local vendors to carry those products, too.”
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Cring said Leo’s offers the convenience of fresh flowers produced by a local florist alongside an array of greeting cards and gifts.
While Wawa’s two Lafayette locations are still under construction, the chain is known for its custom breakfast sandwiches and hoagies.
Cring said she can understand the nostalgia of a Wawa, a gas station often sought by travelers while vacationing around the east coast and Florida. You’ll be able to find a sandwich inside a Leo’s, too, but Cring said customers will find Leo’s is much more than that.
“We have two executive chefs on our team who come out with new menu items and kolache flavors every month, but this isn’t someplace that does wrapped sandwiches or roller dogs,” Cring said. “Alongside single serve salads and pasta bowls, we offer full size family meals that are grab and go. A lot of these are similar to the subscription dinner kits people have mailed to them, but ours are much more visually appealing, and they’re made fresh daily.”
If customers want to see a product in a Leo’s location, Cring said they’ll make it happen. Since opening earlier this month, Cring said the Lafayette community has shown its love for the store’s concept, and the company has taken notice.
“We just have been so taken aback by the great feedback and the amount of new followers we’ve accumulated from the Lafayette area,” Cring said. “The people here in Lafayette are so active and engaged, and you don’t necessarily see that everywhere.”
Jillian Ellison is a reporter for the Journal and Courier. She can be reached via email at [email protected].
LEO’S MARKET AND EATERY (A PRIDE INVESTMENT PARTNERS BUSINESS) TO OPEN IN LAFAYETTE, OFFERING FRESH MEALS, GROCERIES AND GAS
June 10, 2024, LAFAYETTE, INDIANA — By the end of 2024, Lafayette will see the opening of a Leo’s Market and Eatery along South Street, offering an array of fresh meal options and groceries alongside the convenience of a gas station.
According to building permit reports filed with the city of Lafayette, the market and gas station will cost roughly $5 million to construct.
Tiffany Cring, director of marketing for Leo’s Market and Eatery, said the opening of the 7,100 square feet Lafayette location, which is to be built at 3431 South St., will be the first location for the group outside of the Greater Indianapolis area. The company’s goal is to open the new store by the end of November, Cring said, given no delays occur during construction.
Opening their first location in Greenfield in 2019, Leo’s Market and Eatery was founded by siblings Keith White & Stephanie White-Longworth, previous owners of GasAmerica Services before its sale to Marathon. The siblings named their new food and fuel business after their late father, Richard Leo White.
Cring said Leo’s Market and Eatery is completely focused a customer convenience, offering freshly made single and family size meals alongside basic groceries competitively priced to major chain grocery stores. With an executive chef on staff, Cring said their menu’s are constructed and change quarterly with dishes and pastries made freshly in house.
While Leo’s Market and Eatery also sells gas, Cring said that isn’t the sole focus of the business, but rather an additional convenience offered to customers, alongside an extensive rewards program and monthly customer events.
“Once people get into the store, they can’t believe how much stuff we have to offer in here,” Cring said. “Leo’s really is like a one-stop-shop.”
One of the things Leo’s Market and Eatery prides itself on, Cring said, is building connections in their communities, offering fundraising opportunities and giving back to local nonprofits and area schools.
“We already feel so welcomed by the community and are very excited to expand our footprint in such an amazing area,” Cring said.
Jillian Ellison is a reporter for the Journal and Courier. She can be reached via email at [email protected]. Follow her on X at @ellison_writes.
THE WHITE FAMILY – OWNERS OF PRIDE INVESTMENT PARTNERS & LEO’S MARKET AND EATERY – GIVES BACK!
It’s a ‘family tradition’ – the White Family donates $50,000 to local non-profits
August 19, 2024, GREENFIELD, IN. – The White Family Foundation, a fund of the Community Foundation of Hancock County, recently awarded grants totaling $50,000 to 10 non-profit organizations in the local community. For the past 12 years, two generations of the White family review grant applications and do individual site visits before reporting back and voting as a group. The family’s objective is to support initiatives that enhance the desire to ‘live, work and play’ in communities within Hancock and Henry counties, Indiana where the White family calls home.
This year’s annual grants total of $50,000 was made possible due to an exclusive financial contribution/match from Pride Investment Partners, the White family’s primary business interest located in Greenfield, Indiana. Pride is owned by brother and sister duo, Keith White and Stephanie White-Longworth, and holds investments in a variety of areas throughout the Midwest including hotels, strip centers, and retail stores; as well as residential and commercial real estate. Their latest ventures include McCord Square and Leo’s Market & Eatery with locations in Greenfield, Noblesville, McCordsville, Indianapolis, and Lafayette (coming soon).
The White family remains steadfast in their commitment to philanthropy, ensuring a positive influence on the communities in which they reside and where their businesses operate. “We believe in giving back to the communities that support us. It’s not just something we promise to do; it’s at the heart of what we stand for,” said Stephanie White-Longworth, President of Pride Investment Partners and WFF Chairwoman.
**Grant recipients included:
| 2024 White Family Foundation Grants | |
| Grantee | Amount Awarded |
| Agape Therapeutic Riding Resources, Inc. | $2,000 |
| Bentley’s Buddies & Friends | $2,000 |
| Center Township Trustee | $1,914 |
| Hancock Regional Hospital – Hancock Health SANE Program | $8,218 |
| Knightstown Public Library | $7,500 |
| Meals on Wheels of Hancock County | $6,250 |
| Nameless Creek Camp | $5,000 |
| Servants at Work, Inc. (SAWs Ramps) | $4,000 |
| Shirley Police Department | $3,118 |
| The Cary Center | $10,000 |
| Total White Family Foundation Funds Granted | $50,000 |
About The White Family Foundation
The White Family Foundation Fund is a donor-advised fund of the Community Foundation of Hancock County (CFHC). Donor-advised funds allow donors to simplify and consolidate all their charitable giving and provides the family the opportunity to make grant recommendations from their fund to CFHC to address community needs. CFHC assures the charitable qualifications of recommended grantees and manages all the administration details. The White Family supports initiatives that enhance the desire to live, work, and play in the communities where they have provided business services, especially Shirley and the surrounding communities.
THREE LOCAL COMPANIES FORM ALLIANCE TO ACQUIRE ELANCO CAMPUS
HealthStar Partners, comprising of Pride Investment Partners, NineStar Connect, and Hancock Health, buying Elanco 20+ acre campus, keeping it ‘all local’ and preserving its future
JULY 15, 2024 – Hancock County based, Pride Investment Partners, NineStar Connect, and Hancock Health are thrilled to announce a strategic alliance called HealthStar Partners. Under this newly formed partnership, the group has acquired the South 20.4 acres of the Elanco campus, including the five primary Elanco buildings located at I-70 and SR-9 in Greenfield, Indiana. Elanco is departing Hancock County and relocating their headquarters to a new $100 million campus currently being built just west of downtown Indianapolis.
“The acreage and its prominent location present a lasting economic development opportunity for Greenfield and all of Hancock County, said a representative for HealthStar Partners. “As the City and County continue to grow, quality businesses will be looking to locate here, and this location will be ideal for them.” HealthStar Partners is committed to ensuring that this significant property remains under the ownership of local businesses who are deeply committed to the community. This collaboration underscores the investor group’s collective goal of fostering developments that serve the interests of local residents and businesses – keeping the community’s best interests at heart.
“Pride Investment Partners is a ‘community first’ investment firm dedicated to fostering developments with pride, passion, and purpose,” said Stephanie White-Longworth, President of Pride Investment Partners. “We believe in the power of local businesses and strive to create opportunities that benefit the communities in which we live and work.”
“NineStar has always sought partnerships with locally controlled institutions such as Hancock Health and Pride Investment Partners when it benefits our members and the community, said Michael Burrow, President & CEO of NineStar Connect. “When this opportunity presented itself, it was a no brainer. We couldn’t be more excited for this opportunity and what it presents for the future.”
“Hancock Health is thrilled to join our friends at NineStar Connect and Pride Investment Partners in this new venture at the current Elanco location in Greenfield,” said Steve Long, President & CEO of Hancock Health. “Elanco has been an incredible asset to our community, and we are pleased that ownership and occupancy of the campus will remain local so we can ensure future development of the property enhances and supports the vision of Greenfield and Hancock County. Additionally, Hancock Health has desired a location for a medical office building and wellness center near the interstate in Greenfield, and we hope to utilize a portion of the Elanco campus for these long-term plans after Elanco relocates to Indianapolis.”
HealthStar Partners is committed to engaging with local stakeholders to explore and implement projects that reflect the community’s needs and aspirations. With Elanco’s lease running through mid-2027, there is ample time for HealthStar Partners to thoroughly review and plan future development opportunities for the property.
IU HEALTH BREAKS GROUND IN MCCORDSVILLE
Indiana University Health has broken ground on a new location in McCordsville, an outpatient physician office development that will offer primary care, OB/GYN and cardiovascular services.
Complete with 25 exam rooms and three procedure rooms, the outpatient suite will open to patients in fall 2024 with five physicians and two advanced practice providers specializing in primary care, at least one OB/GYN on-site daily, and a cardiologist on a weekly basis to start.
“In looking at where our IU Health patients come from today and through our research, we’ve found that patients would like to receive their healthcare closer to home but are traveling elsewhere because current service offerings aren’t diverse enough,” said Chad Dilley, chief operating officer at IU Health Saxony Hospital.
The opening of this outpatient office development is part of IU Health’s Fishers Community Impact Project, a $300 million investment which includes a significant expansion of the IU Health Saxony Hospital campus and services, and the addition of offsite, outpatient access to primary care and specialists to more holistically meet the needs of what has become one of the fastest growing areas in the state—Fishers and the northeast suburbs of Indianapolis.
“As we look at community growth rates, new commercial and housing developments and patient origin, we know that McCordsville is the next best place for us to plant IU Health care close to home,” Dilley continued. “This extension of IU Health primary and specialty care will be supported by the expanded scope of services provided at IU Health Saxony—soon to be IU Health Fishers, by the end of 2025.”
The outpatient suite, opening in fall 2024, is located at 5986 Main St., McCordsville.
News Release: Building Indiana Business, October 28, 2023, posted January 5, 2023 (Project is part of McCord Square)
PROGRESS CONTINUES ON MCCORD SQUARE DEVELOPMENT
$50 million, 48-acre mixed-use partnership development between Pride investment Partners, Rebar Development and the Town of McCordsville
September 2023, MCCORDSVILLE, IN. – McCord Square is well underway! IU Health recently broke ground on their 15,000 sq. ft. facility which will reside just in front of the McCord Square development. This state of the art outpatient medical facility will consist of 25 exam rooms, three procedure rooms, and will have multiple physicians including primary care, OB/GYN, and a cardiologist. This project is part of IU Health’s Community Impact Project. Additionally, NineStar Connect will soon start construction on their new offices to be located at the entrance of McCord Square. This facility will include NineStar’s administrative staff, as well as a 24/7/365 customer support center. NineStar’s construction is expected to begin in the Spring 2024.
RP McCord Square Land Parcels SL 10-6-23 EFILE RP McCord Square Jackson & Lucas SL 10-6-23 EFILELocated at the southeast corner of Broadway Ave. (SR 67) and Mt. Comfort Rd., McCord Square will be the heart of and just the beginning to establishing a defined, vibrant downtown district and will be anchored by McCord Square Apartments, upscale apartments offering luxury amenities (already under construction); as well as a Town Hall, a new outdoor amphitheater called The Civic Commons, a park, retail and office space, restaurants, and more.
WHITE FAMILY DONATES $50,000 TO LOCAL COMMUNITY NON-PROFITS
It’s a Family Tradition – White Family Gives Back in a Big Way
August 21, 2023, GREENFIELD, IN. – The White Family Foundation recently awarded grants totaling $50,000 to 13 Hancock County-based community non-profit organizations. Each year, two generations of the White family review grant applications. Individual members then do site visits before reporting back and voting as a group. The family’s objective is to support initiatives that enhance the desire to ‘live, work and play’ in Shirley and nearby surrounding communities in Hancock County, Indiana where the White family calls home.
This is the 11th year the family-based fund has granted monetary awards to local organizations. The grants have historically totaled $25,000 annually, however this year that amount was generously increased to $50,000 thanks to an exclusive financial contribution/match from Pride Investment Partners, the White family’s primary business interest located in Greenfield, Indiana. Pride is owned by brother and sister duo, Keith White and Stephanie White-Longworth, and holds investments in a variety of areas throughout the Midwest including hotels, strip centers, and retail stores; as well as residential and commercial real estate. Their latest venture includes the opening of four Leo’s Market and Eatery locations in Greenfield, Noblesville, McCordsville, and Indianapolis. The family is deeply committed to maintaining a strong emphasis on philanthropy in the localities where they reside and conduct business. They prioritize making a constructive influence their foremost concern. “We believe in giving back to the communities that support us. It’s not just something we promise to do; it’s at the heart of what we stand for,” said Stephanie White-Longworth, President of Pride Investment Partners and WFF Chairwoman.
The White family members recently presented gratifying contributions to the subsequent institutions:
PRIDE INVESTMENT PARTNERS & PARTNERS BREAK GROUND ON MCCORD SQUARE
$50 million, 48-acre mixed-use development will be downtown focal-point and gathering place, and is a partnership between Pride investment Partners, Rebar Development and the Town of McCordsville
October 24, 2022, MCCORDSVILLE, IN. – Hancock County based, Pride Investment Partners’ Owner Keith White and Chief Investment Officer, Wade Etheredge, joined Rebar Development and Town of McCordsville officials to officially break ground on the first phase of McCord Square, a $50 million town center district mixed-use master development located at the southeast corner of Broadway Ave. (SR 67) and Mt. Comfort Rd. The project will be the heart of and just the beginning to establishing a defined, vibrant downtown district and will be anchored by McCord Square Apartments, upscale apartments offering luxury amenities and the first project to begin construction; as well as a Town Hall, a new outdoor amphitheater called The Civic Commons, a park, retail and office space, restaurants, and more.
“In June, we opened our 3rd Leo’s Market and Eatery store with a location in McCordsville. Working with Town officials and meeting with the Town’s amazing citizens has been an absolute pleasure. It is integral to our organization’s culture that we invest in and partner on projects such as McCord Square, with Town leadership which prioritizes its citizens and their utmost quality of life through significant attention and development of the community within which they reside. We are honored to be a part of the McCordsville community and this very special day,” said Stephanie and Keith White, owners of Pride Investment Partners.
PRIDE INVESTMENT PARTNERS DONATES LAND, BUILDING TO TOWN OF GALVESTON
Land of .3 acres and 3,100-square-foot building included in donation
GALVESTON, IN DECEMBER 24, 2021 – Pride Investment Partners, a real estate and private equity investment company based in Greenfield, Indiana, recently donated land and a building worth nearly $50,000 to the town of Galveston.
The site, at 306 S. California Street in Galveston, contains .3 acres of land and a building measuring 3,100 square feet, according to Keith White, partner with the company. Pride Investment Partners owned the land through the acquisition of the Red Barn gas station chain in central and northern Indiana – when the GasAmerica gas stations were in operation, he said.
“That particular store was too close to one of our newer GasAmerica locations,” he said. “Rather than converting Red Barn into another GasAmerica, as a company we decided it made the most sense to close this location altogether. So, we rented it to the town, who utilized it for its police and town hall. We are grateful to be able to turn over ownership of this land to the city for their continued use.”
Galveston Town Council President Wes Hull said the building has been used as the police department for some 8 years and as the town hall for 5 years. He said the previous lease had been a good deal, and now that the town owns the building, leaders look forward to keeping their departments there for years to come.
“We got the deed this month,” he said. “It’s like a Christmas present for the town.”
Galveston is a town in Cass County, with a population of about 1,226 according to the 2019 United States Census, and is located in north central Indiana.
ABOUT PRIDE INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC
Pride Investment Partners, LLC in Greenfield, Indiana, is a real estate and direct equity investment company with a wide variety of ventures in retail, hotels, strip centers, and both residential and commercial real estate development. Pride’s experience as a group is expansive and includes key members that were part of the executive team for GasAmerica Services, Inc., a large chain of convenience stores that operated out of Indiana and Ohio nearly 30 years. Other key members of the team stem from Lee and Ryan Environmental Consulting, an environmental and construction firm which operated over 20 years. Their extensive experience in construction and environmental affairs for the private and public sector provide a wealth of expertise to draw upon. This combined group, which makes up Pride Investment Partners, is actively involved in a number of projects and seeking new investment opportunities utilizing their overarching areas of expertise. For more information, visit www.prideip.com.