Love’s Travel Stop to Open $10 Million Iowa Truck Stop
Surrounded by an army of construction workers, executives with Love’s Travel Stops joined community leaders at a groundbreaking for what will be an $8 million to $10 million Love’s Travel Plaza truck stop on Greyhound Drive on June 29.
The site is across from Waterloo Greyhound Park northwest of the interchange of U.S. highways 20 and 63.
“We’re hoping middle of winter to get this open,” said Alex Fuller, real estate project manager for Oklahoma City-based Love’s. “The goal is to get it open this year.”
Construction began in March but was slowed by wet weather.
The nearly 12,000-square-foot store will include a 7,000-square-foot convenience store and Wendy’s restaurant, a 5,000-square-foot light truck service center and parking, scales and fueling stations for semi-trailer trucks.
Harold Youngblut has been working on developing property around the dog track since 2005.
“It’s taken a little longer than we thought, but the efforts are now really starting to pay off,” Youngblut said.
The location is ideal, Fuller said.
“You have two major highways — Highway 20, Highway 63. This is untapped area for Love’s, and we just felt with the amount of truck traffic we would be able to serve our loyal customers here in this area that we weren’t serving before. It just really fits well with our current network of stores.”
It will be the company’s 10th Iowa store. Love’s recently opened a store in Floyd in Floyd County.
While the location is not directly on the highway, a tall sign will provide visibility.
The plaza will employ about 40 to 50 people.
Love’s was founded in 1964 and employs 17,000 people in 430 locations in 41 states.
Mayor Quentin Hart said the project is one example of community growth.
“We’re starting to see shovels everywhere, from the northernmost parts of Highway 63 to the southernmost parts of 63,” the mayor said, as Highway 63 is being renovated through the heart of the city.
And, according to Youngblut, there’s more development to come around the dog track area.
“It’s so exciting to see the growth that is happening, and we have some big plans for the near future. It’s pretty exciting.”
