Earlier this week, E-Z Mart, whose corporate headquarters, the Store Support Center and Maintenance Facility, are in Texarkana, announced the pending sale of the company and its 273 operating stores. According to Sonja Yates Hubbard, CEO for E-Z Mart, the deal will be completed in April of 2018.
"Out of the approximately 2,200 employees in the four states area of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas, with 130 of those based at the Store Support Center and Maintenance Facility in Texarkana, GPM (the new owners, who will be operating the E-Z Mart brand) intends to offer all employees a position at equal or greater pay and benefits so it shouldn't affect them in any negative way," said Hubbard.
She added that the only known jobs affected are those of the owner/officers FaEllen Yates, chairwoman; Sonja Yates Hubbard, CEO; Stacy Yates, CFO; and Bob Hubbard, president and COO.
"Those four, along with other family members have formed the Yates Group that will oversee operations of E-Z Street Liquor on Ninth Street in Texarkana, Ark., a Subway restaurant in Foreman, Ark., several other real estate rental and development properties, Yates Aviation and the Jim Yates Charitable Foundation, along with other investment activities," she said.
GPM is currently the sixth largest convenience store chain in the U.S., with 1,400 locations in 22 states. E-Z Mart solidifies both their positions and adds their well-known brand to the lineup.
Jim and FaEllen Yates began E-Z Mart in 1970 in Nashville, Ark. Since then, it has remained a family business, with generations of E-Z Mart associates adding to its success.