Broome County Speedway Store Conversions Underway

New signs and new equipment are being installed at Hess Express stores in the Binghamton area.

As expected, the conversion to Speedway began August 24 at Hess locations in Vestal and Endicott.

At the Hess Express store on the Vestal Parkway, many customers were caught by surprise as they pulled up to the entrance but were unable to buy fuel because the pumps were closed.

Each Hess Express station will be closed for one day and then open as a Speedway store the next day.

Hess employees and managers have undergone training in recent days to become familiar with the policies and procedures of Marathon Petroleum Corporation, which owns the Speedway convenience store chain.

Marathon acquired more than 1200 Hess Express locations in 16 eastern states. The stores will add to Speedway's nearly 1500 stores, which are primarily in the Midwest.

Hess Corporation announced in 2013 it was getting out of the retail business. At the time, a Hess spokesman said the brand is "strong and valuable" and would live "long into the future."