save the little guy...independant truckstops

another reason to save the ma and pa truck stops, is that when they close up, they have been known to block off the parking. As we all know the big 5 fill up at 3pm and don't mty out till 7am.
I have to fuel where my company tells me to, but I REFUSE to spend MY money at the big 5.

 

I'm glad the truckstop at the 101 on 40 in Tennessee reopened. Id rather park there than the cluster ##### in Jackson.

I recently paid $10 to park at the Penn Jersey in Phillipsburg. Rather give them the $10 than the TA since I got there at 6pm and forget about parking at the TA then.

 

I for one will go out of my way to patronize other small businesses. Many bemoan the plight of the indy truck stop, but won't inconvenience themselves one iota to patronize them. These are real, viable businesses making a living for a family; vs. a corporate branch paying minimum wages.

I run a lot of two-lane as well, and that helps because you find more small stops off the beaten path. Whether a C-store with fuel and good parking, a small stop, or a cafe with truck parking...........I will ALWAYS try to use those folks before one of the mega stops.

 

I just had the buffett at Chex in Henderson. It was okay. I grabbed a dinner roll, though, and it was past it's prime. Not fresh AT ALL. This place is close to the Wal Mart DC. Good parking. Exit 220 on I-85. It's really not all that hard to find........

 

Some of those places are really funny.

 

I don't think I've been to this one but the obvious questions for me are: how much advertising have you done to promote your local truck stop and how well marked is it? Day time or night time, if I pull off the exit and I can't see where the truck stop is, or the sign directing me to the truck stop, I'm not going to be driving up and down the road trying to find it.

As far as charging for parking, I'm afraid that would negatively affect your business. The independants I've stopped at, some I would return to because it had personality. Others I won't return to because they were just dreadful and if there's nothing worth spending money at inside, I'm not spending money.

Two places stand out in my mind, for different reasons. The independant on I-65 in TN (I think it's the Tennessean but I'm not sure). Nice people, typical convenience store, but they had a special dog walk area and their restaurant had personality and had menu items I couldn't get elsewhere. Another was out in Texas. It was a real hole in the wall but their restaurant had a Mexican menu that was fantastic, which is why I keep going back there.

I can go to a buffet anywhere, but not every truck stop has a hot deli that offers things like corn nuggets or tater tots. Also if the buffet looks unappetizing, I'm ordering off the menu. I'm tired of fried chicken.

 

I don't mind stopping at the independent. I use the big boys for the showers cause they are cleaner but if I'm just doing laundry or wanting a bite to eat I'll stop at the independent because I'm tired of the fast food joints and Denny's. I enjoy checking out the little guys too. Even if they are not clean, they always tend to have something the big guys don't, so yeah, I'll help keep them open. I just don't want to spend a silly $15 for overnight parking like at those TA's up north...

 

how I feel/think has already been mentioned

the owner could do as some other truck stops do, a fee for parking or spend X amount inside, free if you fuel with the 50 gal min, a free (clean) shower would help as well., no rewards card? perhaps save fuel receipt for 7 days... etc... he needs to get creative