Love’s has ceremony for Springfield site, donates $2K to United Way

The Love’s Travel Stop at the intersection of I-70 and Route 41 held its ribbon-cutting on Tuesday, donating $2,000 to the United Way of Clark, Champaign and Madison Counties. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

The Love’s Travel Stop at the intersection of I-70 and Route 41 held its ribbon-cutting on Tuesday, donating $2,000 to the United Way of Clark, Champaign and Madison Counties. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

The Love’s Travel Stop in Springfield held its ribbon-cutting on Tuesday morning, an event that included a $2,000 donation to the United Way of Clark, Champaign and Madison Counties.

The 20-acre, $7.5 million travel stop located at the I-70 and Ohio 41 interchange opened last month, bringing 50 jobs to Clark County. The Wendy’s restaurant opened Monday morning.

EARLIER: $7.5M Love's Travel Stop set to open in Clark County in January

The money will be used for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library project, a program that will put free books in the homes of children up to 5 years old.

The new business is a welcome addition to the community, United Way Executive Director Kerry Pedraza. It’s known for its philanthropy and could work on other projects in the future, she said.

“They’re not just in the community, but they’re vested in the community,” Pedraza said.

The project was first announced in September of 2013. The site at 4725 South Charleston Pike was formerly occupied by the Prime Fuel station.

“We’re excited about the Springfield location because it’s in a prime spot right off of I-70,” said Tom Love, founder and executive chairman of Love’s in a press release. “We can conveniently serve residents who commute to Dayton and Columbus, as well as professional drivers.”

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The truck stop will be open 24 hours a day and has about 110 truck parking spots and 18 gas pumps. It includes a convenience store and Subway restaurant, both of which are also open.

It also has a Love’s Truck Tire Care center that offers mechanical services for truck drivers, as well as a 90-foot digital pricing sign along I-70.

The 12,000-square-foot travel stop is Love’s 10th location in Ohio. The Oklahoma City-based company has 440 locations across the country.

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Staying with the story

The Springfield News-Sun has reported on the planned $7.5 million Love’s Travel Stop since the story first broke in September 0f 2013.

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