New Hood’s convenience store in the works on Highway 96

Business to be located at site of old Crossroads; no timeline set as construction materials are in short supply
 
It would appear that Paul and Darlene Hood have enough to keep them busy. As owners of Hood’s Service Center, Inc. on I-44 near Bois D’Arc, they run the Cenex convenience store, a Phillips 66 gas station, a restaurant and a motel. On top of that, they also own two other corporations: Hood’s Oil Company, Inc., and Hood’s Propane Company. However, the Hoods plan to expand their operation even further by building a new convenience store at the intersection of Highways 39 and 96, at the site of the old Crossroads convenience store outside of Miller.
Darlene Hood said they chose to start the new enterprise for several reasons.
“It fits in with what we do,” she said. “We’ve always thought it was a very good location. There’s a lot of traffic on Highway 96, (and) there’s no place to buy fuel between Halltown and Carthage, if you’re staying on 96. We (also) have a farm six miles from there, so we know the area very well. We just saw that the need was there, and it was the logical move for us because we (also) own the adjoining property.”
Hood said their new venture will supply many things travelers on Highway 96 need.
“(We will sell) gasoline, diesel, and we will also have off-road diesel,” she said. It will be a convenience store. We’ve had a lot of demand for a restaurant, (but) we do not plan to have a full-service sit-down restaurant, mainly because it is very difficult to staff it, with the one we already have. And we hope it will get better and think it will, but it is very difficult.”
Additional plans include a deli where fresh sandwiches will be made, and walk-in coolers where customers will be able to serve themselves.
Don’t expect to see the new convenience store anytime soon, though. Hood said the building won’t be completed for quite some time.
“It won’t be soon,” she said. “Right now, we’re just preparing the land. There’s leveling that has to be done, and there’s a lot of preparation before you can start to build.”
There are also other factors delaying construction.
“It would be wonderful if we could (start right away),” Hood said, “but it just doesn’t work that way, and it’s very difficult right now even to get materials. There will be all new piping, new dispensers; everything will be new. We’re not using any of the existing equipment. And right now, a lot of things are backordered. That works against us, too.”
However, Hood said, many people are happy to know they will bring a new convenience store to the area.
“It’s been unbelievable, the positive feedback we’ve had,” she said. “People … would love to have a restaurant, but they’re very glad to see … a C-store go in where you can buy fuel and the other things you sell. We have been really surprised at the warm feelings that have been expressed towards us. They obviously know about this place and know that we should know what we’re doing.”