WEST JEFFERSON — RaceTrac will open its first location in the Columbus metropolitan area this week, bringing the 92-year-old convenience store and gas station chain into a new Ohio market.
The new store, at 2 Commerce Parkway in West Jefferson, opens Thursday, Oct. 15. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 8:30 a.m., and the first 100 guests at the store will receive a $25 gift card, according to a company spokesperson.
RaceTrac was founded in 1934 and operates large-format travel centers and convenience stores known for fuel, foodservice and in-store merchandise. The West Jefferson opening marks the chain’s entry into central Ohio, a market it has not previously served.
The expansion comes as convenience retailers nationally continue to grow inside sales. Industry figures cited in national reporting put U.S. convenience store foodservice and merchandise sales at $341.2 billion in 2025, a 1.7 percent increase and the 23rd straight year of growth.
West Jefferson, a Madison County village west of Columbus along U.S. 40, has been adding retail and logistics development along its commercial corridors. The RaceTrac store is expected to serve both local drivers and traffic moving through the area.