Thorntons Inc.
Thorntons Inc., also known as Thorntons Oil Company, is a gasoline business located in Louisville, Kentucky. It was founded in 1971 by James H. Thornton.[1]
A 1946 graduate of New Albany High School, Thornton first gained entry into the gasoline industry working at a station owned by his stepfather. In 1951 at the age of 24 he became one of the partners of the Dixie Dance gas stations. Thornton eventually joined Ashland Inc. in 1955, maintaining a relation with them until 1970.[1]
The first "Thorntons" location opened in 1971 in Clarksville, Indiana. The original site featured a kiosk building and a full-service attendant. In the 1980s, Thorntons transitioned from kiosk locations to convenience stores and grew to over 100 locations.
In 2002 Matt Thornton, son of James Thornton, introduced a larger facility with an expanded fast-food program. As of 2013, Thorntons had over 165 locations in six states: Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee, and Florida.[2]
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kleber p.882
- ↑ "Locations". Thorntons Gas Stations. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
- Kleber, John E., ed. (2001). The Encyclopedia of Louisville. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-2100-0.
.