The 25 BP ampm convenience-stores in central Ohio are set to be transformed into Duchess Shoppe stores, the Columbus Dispatch reported.
The local franchise owner, Englefield Oil Co. already operates all the stores involved, plus 103 other stores that use the Duke/Duchess Shoppe name. BP is allowing Englefield Oil to drop the ampm name penalty-free and in exchange Englefield Oil has agreed to switch to BP gasoline at seven stations currently using a different provider.
“It was difficult for us to operate under two different brands and two different systems,” said Ben Englefield, co-president. “It was very inefficient.”
The changes are scheduled to take place during the next four months.
Englefield Oil bought the ampm stations from BP in a deal two years ago.
Englefield told the Columbus Dispatch that the deal with BP has been in the works since before the spill and is unrelated to the news of protests and boycotts that have impacted the BP brand since that time.