Some 80 stores are schedule to be built by 2015.
As previously reported, 7-Eleven Inc. is re-entering the Jacksonville market after a 20-plus year hiatus in north Florida.
President and CEO Joe De Pinto made the announcement at a March 21 event attended by Florida Gov. Rick Scott and Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown. Held at the Jacksonville Landing overlooking the St. John’s River, the celebration included free Slurpee drinks, 7-Eleven food and a ceremonial ground-breaking with neon-colored Slurpee spoon-straw shovels.
“It’s great to be back in Jacksonville,” DePinto said. “Jacksonville and Miami were where 7-Eleven first expanded its business outside of Texas. 7-Eleven brings jobs, tax revenues, new business for local business, franchise opportunities for entrepreneurs and community support for fund-raising events, local schools, the local food bank and other worthwhile causes.”
The company plans to open between 15 and 20 new 7-Eleven stores this year and up to 20 years, with the goal of 80 or more stores by the end of 2015.
Some interesting facts about 7-Eleven in Jacksonville, Florida and beyond:
• Each new 7-Eleven store brings at least 10 new jobs to Jacksonville. That’s 800 new jobs by 2016.
• One 7-Eleven store generates approximately $100,000 in city sales and property tax revenue each year.
• 7-Eleven operates more than 760 stores in the state of Florida, with plans to open 400 more over the next three years.
• 7-Eleven acquired 183 stores from in Exxon/Mobile in 2011 and is working to transform them to the 7-Eleven brand.
• Lottery sales at Florida 7-Eleven stores raised $26 million last year for education in the state.
• Florida has 300 entrepreneurs who have franchised one or more 7-Eleven stores.
• Internationally, 7-Eleven has more than 45,500 stores.
• Every two hours, a new 7-Eleven store opens somewhere in the world.
• The first 7-Eleven store in Jacksonville opened in 1954.