In August of 2017, a new big store called Cocoa Pilot Flying J Travel Center was opened. It’s the first one in Brevard County, near Interstate 95 and State Road 524.
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The store has a small shop and a Wendy’s restaurant inside, along with PJ Fresh Eatery and Cinnabon. They also have eight lanes for big trucks to get fuel and fourteen spots for cars. In this post, you will learn all about this new store that employs more than 100 people.
Flying J Travel Center Overview
The Flying J Travel Center has over 100 workers and is doing even better than expected. It’s estimated to bring in about $3.9 million in taxes every year.
Councilman Don Boisvert, who spends a lot of time at the Flying J, thinks it’s a great spot for people in District 3 to stop for gas and rest.
Ken Parent, the boss at Pilot Flying J, says they’re happy to help the Cocoa community and boost the local economy with their new travel center.
The Cocoa Flying J is one of 29 in Florida and serves lots of customers every day. It’s also good news for the new Walmart Distribution Center being built nearby.
The area around SR 524 and I95 in Cocoa is growing fast, and this new business is part of that. There’s lots of space and it’s in a good spot for more development.
History
Pilot Corporation opened its first truck stop in 1981. Later, on November 15, 1993, Pilot teamed up with Marathon Petroleum Company, and all the Pilot Truck Stops became Pilot Travel Centers. Initially, there were about 60 stops, but that was just the beginning.
In the following years, Pilot Travel Centers saw significant growth. Marathon began converting many Speedway truck stops, which they owned entirely, to the Pilot Travel Center brand starting in mid-2002.
Then, in the middle of 2003, there was another big expansion when they bought the Williams Truck Stop chain. This joint venture between Marathon and Pilot greatly increased the recognition of Pilot Travel Centers across the United States, with the number of stops growing more than fourfold.
Moving forward to 2008, Pilot bought out Marathon’s stake in the business. They then formed a new partnership with CVC Capital Partners, an international private equity firm.
Additionally, Pilot collaborated with Road Ranger and Town Pump, and in 2014, they acquired a controlling interest in Mr. Fuel.
In October 2014, Pilot Flying J announced plans to borrow funds to pay shareholders and buy out its private equity partner, CVC Capital Partners. Finally, in 2015, the Haslam family completed the buyout of CVC Capital Partner’s stake.
The 2009 Merger
In July 2009, Pilot agreed to buy Flying J Travel Centers. Flying J was trying to get out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy. They finished the deal on July 1, 2010. After that, the new company was called Pilot Flying J, but the legal name stayed Pilot Travel Centers LLC.
In this deal, both Pilot and Flying J kept their names. They also started accepting the same fuel cards. Flying J got money and a share of the new company. But Flying J’s oil and banking parts stayed separate and became FJ Management Inc.
To make sure everything was fair, Pilot sold some of their centers to Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores in June 2010. After the merger, the new company had over 550 locations in the US and Canada. In 2011, Pilot Flying J started working with Truckers Against Trafficking. And thus began the new story of Flying J Travel Center!
PFJ Southeast
On June 23, 2016, Pilot Flying J and Speedway said they’re teaming up. They’re making a new company called PFJ Southeast LLC. It’ll have 41 Speedway places and 79 Pilot Flying J spots, mostly in the Southeast US. Pilot Flying J will run them, and Speedway places will become either Pilot or Flying J Travel Center.
Berkshire Hathaway purchase
On October 3, 2017, there was big news about Flying J Travel Center. Warren Buffett’s company, Berkshire Hathaway, decided to buy 38.6% of Pilot Flying J. They plan to own 80% of it by 2023. Until then, the Haslam family and FJ Management will still own part of it.
But in 2023, the Haslam family will keep 20%, and FJ Management will leave. The Haslam family will keep running the company day-to-day. Then, in January 2024, the Haslam family sold their remaining 20% to Berkshire Hathaway.
FAQs
Q.1. How much does it cost to shower at Flying J?
Our team makes sure the showers are super clean with an 11-step process. If you’re wondering about the price, showers at Pilot and Flying J travel centers usually cost about $12. But remember, it might be a bit different depending on where you are and the taxes in that area.
Q.2. Who owns Pilot Travel Centers?
Berkshire Hathaway owns the company Flying J Travel Center. It’s based in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. The company runs truck stops with names like Pilot Travel Centers, Flying J Travel Plaza, ONE9 Fuel Network, and Mr. Fuel.
Q.3. What is the difference between a pilot and a Flying J?
Flying J Travel Center and Pilot used to be different companies. But Pilot bought Flying J a few years back. Pilot is known for quick food you can grab and eat on the go. Flying J used to have its own restaurant called Thad’s, but after the buyout, they mostly have Denny’s now.
Wrap Up
As we wrap up this journey through the evolution of travel centers, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment. From the groundbreaking 2009 merger that birthed Pilot Flying J to the soaring entrance of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway in 2017, the landscape has shifted.
FJ Management held steady amidst the changes until the recent passing of the torch. With the final transfer of ownership to Berkshire Hathaway in January 2024, the story comes full circle.
The Haslam family’s legacy intertwines with Buffett’s empire, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another in the ever-changing skies of the travel center industry.
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