City OKs Love's

A Love's Travel Stop & Country Store is coming to Holly Springs.

It will be located on vacant property on the south side of Interstate 22, between the Quality Inn and America's Best Value Inn.

Construction is scheduled to start this summer with completion in spring 2021, weather dependent, according to Caitlin Campbell, media relations specialist with Love's.

The company's land-use plans met all requirements and were approved by the city's zoning board last week.

"This will be a first-class facility and a major investment in our city," Mayor Kelvin Buck said. "There will be a good number of new jobs. It will also do a lot to bring more people to our city, simply because of the Love's name. We are excited."

Campbell said the location will be more than 12,000 square feet and include an Arby's restaurant, plus 45 truck parking spaces.

"We will have approximately 50 employees at this location helping get customers back on the road quickly," she said. "We place Love's in locations that are easy to access for drivers, and we're excited to join the Holly Springs community and provide customers the great service and amenities they love." City zoning director Pamela Lewis said the travel stop, which will include a country store, will be a 24/7 operation that will be well-lit for extra security. She said electrical engineers will design the lighting so it will not bleed onto other business and property areas.

Road work will be done for better accessing the facility, Lewis said.

She said Love's goal is to have 75 percent full-time employment and 25 percent parttime, with employees being local and from the surrounding area.

Love's, based in Oklahoma City, Okla., opened its 500th store in 2019. In January, via its website, the company said it plans to open 40 stores this year.

"We enter 2020 with lots of momentum that we'll continue through customer-experience enhancements, product offerings and the best value on the road," said Love's President Shane Wharton. "We'll open stores from coast to coast, continue to provide products and services that our customers depend upon and enhance our reputation as the company known for highway hospitality."

The company is familyowned and operated and employs more than 25,000 people.

Other locations in Mississippi include Tupelo, Batesville, West Point, Biloxi, Canton, Columbus, Flowood, Gulfport, Toomsuba (near Meridian), Indianola, Lake, Magee, McComb and Poplarville.