Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores (commonly referred to as Love's) is a family-owned chain of more than 390 truck stop and convenience stores located in 40 states.   The company is privately owned and headquartered in The Village, Oklahoma, a suburb of Oklahoma City.   Love’s is currently ranked No. 14 on the Forbes list of America’s largest private companies.

      In 1964, Tom and Judy Love spent $5,000 to lease an abandoned service station in Watonga, Oklahoma, an hour northwest of Oklahoma City.  They named their company Musket Corporation.  Over the next eight years, Musket opened 40 additional gas stations.

     By 1978, Love's Country Stores had 60 locations in small communities throughout Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas.   Today, Love's operates more than 390 stores in 40 states.  The current growth rate is about 20 – 25 store openings each year.

     Not being constructed in the Story City area because Story City didn't want them, but now constructed in the Ellsworth Area because Ellsworth had land and utilities.   Surely local residents will find jobs here.

Published in the Ames Tribune on November 15, 2016.