By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

About a year after the El Charro Convenience, 2020 E. Eighth, store closed its doors, new owners are to reopen the location with a new look and offerings.

Co-owner and manager Liz Smith said she was interested in purchasing the business last year after driving by the location.

“When we saw it was for sale, it sparked our interest,” she said.

Smith has a background in retail and thought this would be an opportunity to once again be self-employed.

“It’s nice to work for yourself,” she said.

Since completing the purchase on June 4, Smith began on full remodel on the building, bringing new life into the old solid brick walls.

“We have repainted, put in new floors, brought in all new appliances, all new countertops and shelving, everything is new,” she said.

That work is not expected to end when the store reopens, as Smith has plans to continue to grow the business with a kitchen that will be completed in the future, allowing the sale of freshly made breakfast and grab-and-go lunch items.

“I will be able to make anything I want,” Smith said. “It’s not just convenience store food.”

She is also excited about new fuel pumps installed at the location and new fuel options.

“They will be open 24 hours and will be card accessible and will have 91 octane with no ethanol in it,” Smith said.

She believes they will be the only location in town that will offer the ethanol-free 91 octane.

“There are a lot of people interested in having the no ethanol in the 91 for their motorcycles, their jet skis and their older cars,” she said.

They will also have treated diesel fuel.

“We have a diesel pickup and we know what it is like to have it untreated and trying to start it when it is cold,” Smith said.

Early interest is also encouraging, Smith said.

“We took the paper off the windows (Thursday), and we can’t believe how many people have tried to stop in, which is great.”

Once finishing touches are complete on the exterior and the kitchen is up and running, Smith said a grand opening will be planned, hopefully in about a month.

Some of the employees of the previous business have returned to work in the new business.

“There will be quite a few familiar faces for those that used to come in here,” Smith said.

Hours for the Ol’ 40 Express will be from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week, and the fuel stations will take card payments 24/7.