COAL GROVE — Anyone driving by or stopping at the Speedway in Coal Grove has probably noticed more than a few changes. It’s brighter, shinier and newer after being remodeled this July and August.

Darin McKenzie, this area’s district manager for Speedway, said the store needed remodeling.

“It’s an excellent location and it’s always done good business. It’s a community store really, we do a lot of business with the people of Coal Grove,” he said. “And we wanted to get it up to Speedway-SuperAmerica standards and remodeling was the way to do it.”

He said that Speedway’s focus, where it has the space, is to concentrate on food service to make it more convenient for customers.

“People need to stop and get fuel, so if they can stop and get a hot sandwich, a newspaper and whatever else you need, it’s going to save people a trip,” McKenzie said.

If the store seems to have a lot more floor space that’s because it does. To do what McKenzie calls “a major remodel,” some showers for truckers were taken out and the space taken down to bare walls and floors.

The place now has new floors, new coolers, and new shelves. A new hot food island was put in with a hot dog grill, more condiments, nachos, breakfast sandwiches, hamburgers, and even Sloppy Joes.

“We wanted to offer more hot, to-go sandwiches for breakfast and lunch,” McKenzie said. “And we needed more space to do that.”

Besides hot foods, there is a frozen beverage machine.

“With the extra space, we really concentrated on our food service,” he said.

The restaurant side of the building also recently closed for remodeling. But as to what is going to go in there, McKenzie said he didn’t know.

“I don’t know for sure yet,” he said. “There are a lot of rumors swirling around and I have had a few people look at it, but I don’t know what the possibilities are yet.”

He said that a real estate company is handling the leasing of the restaurant.

“They will call me when they get someone,” he said. “But we are definitely going to lease the space and try to get a good restaurant company in there.”

There were outside changes, too. A new sign with the gas prices in digital letters, new pumps and more outside lighting.

“It makes our customers, especially the ladies, feel more secure to have a well-lit area,” McKenzie said.

There aren’t any additional pumps, but it does offer the pay-at-the-pump option.

“More dispensers doesn’t mean it is more convenient,” McKenzie said. “We only have so much space for cars to park and fuel.”

While Speedway doesn’t release the costs of remodeling, McKenzie did say “it was a lot, but well worth it.

“From everyone coming in, I have heard nothing but good things.”