Behind the two water tanks on Cemetery Road, near I-25’s Exit 79, Love’s Travel Stop will invest about $20 million on its new location in Truth or Consequences.
Barbara Peck, a “large developments engineer” for Love’s, gave a presentation to the T or C city commission at their regular Feb. 26 meeting. It was a non-action agenda item.
Love’s headquarters is Oklahoma City and has been since its inception in 1964, a family-owned business on its third generation, Peck said. It is not a publicly traded company. It has 650 locations in 42 states and “nearly 40,000 team members.”
The new store will be nearly 12,500 square feet and will have eight gas and six diesel lanes. There will be parking for 63 trucks and 62 cars. One or two “quick service” restaurants will be onsite. In addition there will be 10 RV hookups and three overnight parking spots. A dog park will be included.
A “tourism end cap” will be located inside the store to encourage people to explore the city.
Love’s will employ about 40 people, 30 of whom will be full time and 10 part time. Wages will be set based on “local wage surveys,” with employees receiving two salary raises in the first two years and one raise a year thereafter. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, 401(k) and holiday pay. Love’s also gives employees free education—high school diploma, college degrees and certificates.
Lucky not-for-profit organizations in town will receive a total of $5,000 to celebrate Love’s first year here, followed by $5,000 a year to area organizations that focus on helping children, Peck said.
It’s estimated the city will earn about $175,000 a year in local gross receipts taxes from Love’s operations and the state will take in about $250,000 a year, some of which is distributed to the city.
Peck said Love’s will come to the city later with a proposal to paint Love’s logo and the word “entrance” and an arrow on one of the water tanks, since the store will not be visible from the highway otherwise.
A Dunkin’ Donuts and Godfather’s Pizza are being considered for the quick-serve restaurants, Peck said.
Although the city has no authority to determine which restaurants go in or what services are offered, Peck said she will pass on their thoughts to headquarters.
Mayor Pro Tem Amanda Forrister said Dunkin’ Donuts and Godfather’s would compete with local businesses, without naming them, as will the RV hookups, the latter being in competition with Forrister’s own business, she said, as well as with Riverbend Hot Springs
Peck said that Love’s has no RV dumping services, which naturally shortens RV stays, but they would consider modifying the maximum four-day stay to two days.
Mayor Rolf Hechler agreed with Forrister’s thoughts on competition, adding that “we need chicken,” over coffee shops or pizza, warning that Mexican food is a local mainstay that Love’s should avoid as well.
City Commissioner Merry Jo Fahl pointed out that Love’s will solve the problem of bigger equipment and trucks being able to gas up and turn around, a complaint farmers and ranchers have expressed about gas stations in town.
No timeline for when construction may start and end was given.
Interesting that not a word is said about EV charging stations. I suggest that a forward-looking council use this opportunity to ask Ms. Peck to plan installation of a bank of fast chargers.
City Commissioner Ingo Hoeppner mentioned EV charging stations, suggesting, if I understood him correctly, that a third party could come in after Love’s construction, with EV charging stations. Ms. Peck responded that Love’s is always interested in supplying whatever fuel the public might want. It was such a vague exchange I didn’t put it in the story, since it raised too many unanswered questions. It would appear that the people, potential customers, would need to show the need for Love’s to supply EV charging stations.
I wonder if there is going to be any kind of negative impact on existing businesses. I know throughout New Mexico, particularly post pandemic, there have been out of state chains moving in and taking customers away from local businesses. I noticed that in particular in Lordsburg last year, where many of the nice old motels were now either closed down or in disarray. But the big chains like Holiday inn were frigging everywhere. And believe me, that didn’t make things less expensive.
How exciting, might lower the gas price in town that is, mainly, dictated, and consistantly 20 cents higher than Las Cruces. Yo, get over the HUA attitude.
Please no more pizza a nice restaurant would be greatly appreciated and needed. We have Fast stops for fast food and we have plenty of Mexican foods here. A nice burger stop or IHOP or something. I hope you will consider some healthier food options. Thank you. I love your Black Bear restaurant in El Paso!!!!
A healthy restaurant or a diner-style place like Denny’s or IHOP with a varied menu would be a great addition.
I used to love overnighting at Love’s when I was on the road in my RV—it was so convenient to refuel, grab a meal, and have a free spot to sleep before heading out early in the morning.