Apr 26, 2015 5 min read

These have been Ruff times in the local convenience store industry – and that’s a good thing.

Ruff Creek Markets has grown markedly in less than two years, and Coen Oil Co., owner of the gasoline/store complexes, is laying the foundation for a footprint that could become Godzilla-like. Coen is encouraged by what has transpired, and to bolster its opportunities in a competitive environment, it has hired an advertising agency to promote the markets – something the venerable Washington institution had never done for any initiative.

“It’s extremely exciting,” Coen chairman Charlie McIlvaine said Thursday about the expansion and rebranding efforts taking place.

There are 38 Ruff Creek Markets in Southwestern Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. About two-thirds are in Washington and Greene counties.

“This not only is reflective of where we call home, but a major part of our chain,” McIlvaine said.

Some stores are still operating under different names, such as Quik King and Coen Markets, but McIlvaine expects all 38 to be Ruff Creek Markets by the end of the third quarter. About 85 percent have BP gasoline, while some complexes have Exxon or Sunoco.

Coen, he said, plans to add at least a dozen stores over the next two years, pushing its portfolio above 50. “Three are on the table” for 2015 openings, he said, declining to reveal possible locations because some are “acquisition situations.”

The company’s 2012 acquisition of Kwik King, an Ohio Valley-based convenience chain, helped fuel the rise of the Coen-owned stores. Each is undergoing interior and exterior remodeling, bearing the distinctive red Ruff Creek Markets logo with white lettering and a covered bridge, and being marketed by a highly regarded Pittsburgh firm that likewise is growing.

Coen sought an agency that, through multiple media resources, would efficiently and effectively communicate what Ruff Creek Markets is all about. After considering a half-dozen candidates, it selected Gatesman+Dave of the South Side, which has a number of similar retail clients, including Shop ‘n Save, Foodland, Quaker Steak & Lube and – locally – Qdoba Mexican Grill.

“Our job is messaging, all facets of marketing,” said John Gatesman, his namesake firm’s CEO. Those facets include advertising, public relations, social media, digital, research and media planning and buying. TV and radio are in the mix.

His firm and Coen Oil became partners early this month, with the marketing campaign targeted to launch in midsummer. It has been a fruitful endeavor, according to both sides.

“For the scale of size and need,” McIlvaine said, “we wanted someone to give us a high level of sophistication and clarity. We want our guests to clearly understand what we do.

“They have substantial experience with outdoor, print, social media and other messaging. They have a large tool kit.”

Gatesman said, without hesitation, “This is absolutely a good fit. We have several retail accounts and Ruff Creek was a good fit, given the work we’ve done. We have a passion for retail.”

In an April 14 post on his company’s Facebook page, Gatesman said, “We are honored to have Coen Oil entrust us with the Ruff Creek Markets’ brand launch.”

He said his agency will tailor its Ruff Creek promotional strategy according to “the different demographics with each store. The key is there is so much competition out there. It’s very important to establish why customers should choose you and not the competitor.”

Competitors, of course, include Sheetz, 7-Eleven and Speedway.

Gatesman’s strategy aligns with Coen’s.

“We want to be relevant with our guests,” McIlvaine said. “We’re trying to redesign to adapt more to their needs. We want people to have the view that our store is their local store.”

A local store, of course, was the inspiration for the branding and style of operation of this chain. Ruff Creek General Store, off the Ruff Creek/Jefferson exit of Interstate 79 in Greene County, has been in continuous operation since 1925 – 90 years. Coen bought it in 2013 and rebranded it a Ruff Creek Market.

“We offer a fast food program, convenience items and gas,” McIlvaine said of his chain. “That’s what (the general store) did then and what we do now. So it’s a little back to the future.”

And so is the logo, which was developed by Coen’s management team and pays homage to local landmarks. McIlvaine said his family had a farm in Greene County, and riding there years ago, they would pass the store and cross the covered bridge.

“Ruff Creek General Store is near and dear to our hearts,” McIlvaine said.

Coen applied for the Ruff Creek Markets trademark in October 2013 and was approved shortly thereafter. The general store endures, in a slightly different incarnation, with a slightly different name.

John Gatesman is pleased with, and upbeat about, the new client.

“My impression,” he said, “is they have a fantastic business plan in place and have a great team on staff that is ready to take them to the next level on relaunching this brand.”

And expanding the footprint.