BizBeat: Convenience store, Pita Pit going up on West Edgewood

Construction of a new Phillips 66 fuel station and convenience store is underway along West Edgewood Drive in Jefferson City. The construction site is next to Boyce Auto Body shop.
Construction of a new Phillips 66 fuel station and convenience store is underway along West Edgewood Drive in Jefferson City. The construction site is next to Boyce Auto Body shop.

A new fuel station and convenience store at the corner of West Edgewood Drive and Missouri 179 in Jefferson City should be up and running by September.

Owner Steve Scherr and general contractor Gene Fox began construction on Edge Express in March.

The Phillips 66 station will include 12 fuel pumps and operate a full convenience store with a beer cave, tobacco and food service, with indoor seating.

"There's nothing in that area, and the city told me there's a shortage of convenience stores in Jeff City," Scherr said. "The traffic count is high, and then if they build a new school. You've got St. Mary's Hospital there, and all the people going through Edgewood out to Westview Heights."

Scherr has owned the Mr. Convenience store and Phillips 66 station at 230 E. McCarty St. for 11 years, next door to his The Car Guys repair shop, which has operated for 45 years.

A healthy eater himself, Scherr is particularly looking forward to the Pita Pit franchise that will operate alongside Edge Express. Pita Pit, a Canada-based "healthier alternative to fast food" franchise, has been growing its U.S. presence with franchises since 1999. The Pita Pit nearest to Jefferson City currently is on Grindstone Parkway in Columbia.

"I think Jeff City's going to like it. It's something different," Scherr said.

Pita Pit offers a menu of meat, veggie and breakfast pita sandwiches.

Scherr said he has not yet decided whether the convenience store will be open 24 hours a day or close at midnight daily, but he will iron out the details prior to Edge Express' projected September opening.

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