New RaceTrac more than convenience store

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New RaceTrac more than convenience store

County News

Friday, 20 July 2012 12:52

News-Gazette Photo/Pete Covino
Racetrac Executive Chef Bob Derian was in Osceola County this week to personally oversee the opening of the first new prototype RaceTrac store in Florida. It’s the first of several new RaceTracs in Central Florida.

By Peter Covino
Lifestyles Editor
You better set that alarm clock about a half-hour earlier — the new RaceTrac has arrived.
The new RaceTrac prototype, a much-enlarged convenience store, is more than a place to get a cup of coffee and fill up the gas tank. You just might want to linger around and have breakfast or lunch if it is closer to noon.

The first of its kind in Florida, the newest RaceTrac had its grand-opening in Poinciana Thursday, and more are on the way soon including locations in Kissimmee.
RaceTrac celebrated the event with musical entertainment by the Liberty High School Band and a professional hip-hop team.
But you know a convenience store is out of the ordinary when it has an executive chef.
Bob Derian, who has been a food services professional for more than 30 years, including stints as an executive chef at hotels and even a cruise ship, promises Osceola County residents are in for something special with the opening of the first new RaceTrac in the state.
Derian has been at the RaceTrac, located at 541 Pleasant Hill Road for the past few days, overseeing the food operation.
When RaceTrac hired him several years ago, it wanted to go in a new direction in convenience store operations.
“They just didn’t want to move the needle,” he said. “They wanted to steer the train.”
Not only is the new RaceTrac bigger, brighter and more inviting than the typical convenience store, there are so many food and drink choices that it might take more than five minutes to make that morning coffee purchase.
“We wanted it to be bright and airy and with a great message about food,” he said. “We want you to feel welcome.”
Among the many options at the new store: a yogurt station with 10 flavors and more than 40 toppings. You can even “swirl” two flavors together.
Coffee lovers (and tea drinkers, too) will marvel at the all the fresh brewed coffee choices available each morning, and throughout the day. Coffee is brewed fresh 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The soft drink supply doesn’t stop with coffee and tea either. There is a whole wall full of popular soft drink choices, plus 24 frozen drinks with flavors that include sweet tea and cotton candy.
For adults, there is a walk-in beer cooler.
The food options are many. Freshly-made burritos, empanadas, flatbread sandwiches, fried chicken, hot dogs, sandwiches and foot-long subs ($4.99) are just part of the food experience. There also are lots of baked goods such as donuts.
“All of the food is high-quality, made with the freshest ingredients,” he said. “We want to change the perception of the convenience store.”
Other inviting options include indoor and outdoor seating and free WiFi.
More RaceTrac prototype stores are under construction in Central Florida, including a location just south of Kissimmee on John Young Parkway. Other stores are coming to the Central Florida Parkway area and Apopka.
The entire landscape of convenience store shopping is undergoing a radical change in Central Florida with the arrival of the new RaceTrac stores plus Wawa, a Northeastern United States favorite.
The first Wawa in Florida opened near SeaWorld Wednesday with a lot of fanfare, and long lines to get one of their famous hoagie sandwiches.
Kissimmee and Osceola County will be getting its first Wawa locations in the next few weeks.
The first Kissimmee Wawa, 2184 E. U.S. Highway 192, is scheduled to open Aug. 1. A second Kissimmee store at 249 N. Orange Blossom Trail has a tentative opening Aug. 8.
Grand-opening events are planned for both new locations, with community leaders, product sampling and more.
Like the new RaceTrac stores, Wawa has offerings that go beyond the typical convenience store.
The stores offer a large fresh food service selection, including Wawa brands such as built-to-order hoagies, freshly-brewed coffee, hot breakfast sandwiches, built-to-order specialty beverages, and an assortment of soups, sides and snacks.