BP sold 13 Thorntons convenience stores in Columbus, Ohio, and Lexington, Ky., to Tampa, Fla.-based fuel wholesaler and retailer Giant Oil, the company said.
The financial terms weren't disclosed.
The oil major said Monday in an email it made a "strategic" decision to sell a "small number" of Thorntons company-owned sites. A station locator shows that BP still has about three dozen Thorntons stores in Kentucky and about a dozen in Ohio near Cincinnati.
"This is part of our effort to continue optimizing our retail portfolio and high grading our network across the U.S. We look forward to continuing to serve our Thorntons guests throughout the Midwest and Florida," the email said.
Giant Oil's social media posts confirm the sale occurred in late March. The stores were rebranded as On the Fly five days after the transaction.
Giant operates and franchises the On the Fly brand. The retail network spans Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. Giant, which already has a supply contract with BP, will sell Amoco fuel at the acquired stores, local sources said.
BP obtained a stake in the more than 200-unit Thorntons chain in 2019 through a joint venture with private equity firm ArcLight Capital Partners. The company bought out ArcLight's stake in 2021.
OPIS MarketSharePro data show BP and Thorntons have consistently been among the top brands in the Lexington and Columbus markets since 2021.
Thorntons has held 11th place in store brand market share by visits in Lexington since 2021, though in Columbus it fell from 17th place in 2021 to 19th place. BP was No. 5 in Lexington in 2021, but slipped to sixth place by 2026. In Columbus, BP has maintained the 16th position since 2021.
But in both markets, grocers with fuel centers are prominent and wholesale clubs offering steep fuel discounts have a growing influence. The Marathon brand also is among the top five in both markets and jumped to third from fifth place in Lexington since 2021.
Kroger has held the top spot in both markets since 2021 with about a fifth of the market in both areas. Supermarket chain Meijer has been among the top 10 or 15 brands in the two markets.
In Lexington, Costco has held ninth place since 2021, retailing gasoline 18-20cts/gal below market. Sam's Club gained share over the period, jumping to fifth from sixth place with gasoline 14cts to 25cts/gal below local prices, OPIS data show.
In Columbus, Costco and Sam's have been among the top 20 brands. BJ's, which entered the market in 2022, is also in the top 20, with the area's lowest gasoline prices at more than 20cts/gal under market.
This content was created by Oil Price Information Service, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. OPIS is run independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.
Reporting by Donna Harris, harris@opisnet.com; Editing by Michael Kelly, mkelly@opisnet.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 06, 2026 17:31 ET (21:31 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Comments