BellStores opens expanded 24-hour travel stop in Cadiz

Imagine a trip along any major interstate highway or state route in Ohio. You are running low on fuel and starting to get a little hungry. 

Large travel stops continue to grow in popularity as they adopt the one-stop shopping concept first made common by Walmart. Travelers can find nearly anything they need, and with the convenience these stores offer, more of the large pit stops are appearing along major routes.

As state Route 22 remains a key link between interstate highways, the need for improved travel accommodations has increased. On Thursday, Nov. 20, Cadiz marked the opening of a new BellStores. Throughout the day, steady traffic flowed through the site as customers fueled vehicles, bought food and explored the new business. All five fuel islands saw constant use, and activity inside the store resembled that of a large outlet.

“This property is much larger than you might expect, and we were fortunate to obtain it,” said E. J. Hanolt, director of marketing for the BellStores Company. “It makes it easy for people to move around and find what they are shopping for. The diesel bays are positioned so trucks can pull in, fuel and park while visiting the store. The store has a new kitchen, and the food possibilities are far more extensive than those at the two smaller stores. We are also leaving our footprints in surrounding communities such as St. Clairsville.”

“We purchased the properties from Hartley Company in 2019,” Hanolt said. “Eventually, we purchased them all. We consolidated the two stores here in Cadiz and will eventually sell the one up the road.”

“The store will operate 24 hours a day, with the doors closing at midnight,” he said. “Service will continue through a walk-up window that provides added staff safety.”

Cadiz Mayor R. Kevin Jones visited during the opening and said it was a pleasure working with BellStores to bring the new facility to the community.

“This store makes a wonderful addition,” Jones said. “There was a lot involved in making this happen, and a great deal of development went into the project.”

The old store closed at 6 a.m. on the morning of the new store opening. Dede Dee Haney, former manager of the BellStores near McDonalds, will manage the new location. Natalie Schareller will serve as Haney’s supervisor.

“We are certainly glad to be back and open,” Haney said. “This new store has so much more to offer. We are also glad to see that all the employees from the two stores remain employed. We hope our customers continue to visit us. They will be surprised to see all the new amenities.”