K.V. Williams and Larry Hammer opened their first convenience store in Cherokee, Oklahoma, in 1972. They called it Jiffy Trip, a name that denotes the quick transactions that people expect in c-stores. Jiffy Trip featured what was then a cutting edge offering in an Oklahoma c-store—hot-brewed coffee.

Nearly a half century later, 29 locations dot northern Oklahoma. Larry passed away in 2001. K.V.’s son Kyle Williams now runs the day-to-day operations, while grandson Alex is the COO. Jiffy Trip has grown, but it’s still a family business.

The majority of the stores are located in small communities. “In many cases, we’re the grocery store, emergency supply, gas station and a good place to have lunch,” said Becky Treece, marketing manager.

There’s something unique about the small-town c-store. There’s the quick in and out sale, but it’s a special place to customers. “Many of our stores have small seating areas. We have our regulars who come in every morning, like farmers who come in after the first feed,” she said, adding, “Some stay for hours to drink coffee and talk. A few of our stores are located near high schools, and students come over and eat. We are a favorite stop for multiple generations, which is hard to find in today’s society.”

When it comes to food, Treece said, “We try to keep our menus simple while still offering a good product.”

A New Direction

A few years ago, the management team asked itself how it could best serve customers. The question was, “How can we be a place they can count on for good food, good service and affordable fuel?”

It was a slow process that initially involved traveling to see what other c-stores were doing. There were a lot of success stories among the locations they visited, but what works in one market won’t necessarily work in the Sooner State, they realized. The concept had to be uniquely Oklahoman.

Of course, the right location was key. The team built a new, larger store in Ponca City. “It’s a place we haven’t served before,” Treece explained. Right off several highways, “it’s a bigger city with a lot of small towns around it.” And to find the right design, the team turned to Paragon Solutions. The final 6,500-square-foot store has “a clean modern look that is somewhat industrial with a home touch,” said Treece.

JT Cares was created to help communities in need.

Made to Order

JT’s Made to Order is the in-store restaurant. Customers can order everything from fresh salads to subs and burgers from a kiosk inside or from the drive-thru. “The pizza is a big hit with customers because it’s fresh. We have state-of-the-art pizza ovens that cook a pizza in five minutes,” said Treece, adding, “We have also had success with our hamburgers.”

And a lot of thought has been put into the hamburger. “We offer five different bun options, including a lettuce wrap or no bun at all if you’re watching your carbs. We have 10 different toppings that include black olives. We’re just stepping up to do something different.”

Fresh donuts are made each morning, which pair well with the new gourmet coffee products and the made-to-order espresso, which Treece said is “close to chic high-end coffee shops.” Keeping in mind the diverse customer base, JT’s offers four kinds of milk, sugar-free syrups and even gourmet hot chocolate.

Every seating area next to a wall has an outlet so customers can charge phones and devices. There’s a lounge area with overstuffed chairs where visitors can sit and enjoy a beverage. “We wanted to make it as convenient as possible so if they choose us to make a stop, they have everything they need,” she said.

Community Focus

“It’s important to support the people who support us,” Treece said. So, the JT Cares program was created to help communities in need. Whether it’s funding projects or providing materials or getting drinking water to those who have none, Jiffy Trip is there through JT Cares, a program that provides support to local communities.

When a grassfire spread across a large portion of the state last year, JT Cares made sure firefighters had water, Gatorade and other essentials needed to battle the flames. “So many people in these communities lost homes, farms and animals. We worked with them to help them get back on their feet,” she said.

In the future, new stores will be similar to the Ponca City location, perhaps larger. In the works is an 8,000-square-foot store in Enid, where the home office is located—one town that currently lacks a Jiffy Trip.