‘Humbled, grateful’: York, Lancaster, Chester store chain earns top S.C. honor

A family-owned convenience store business with five locations throughout York, Chester and Lancaster counties was recently named the 2017 South Carolina Retailer of the Year, by the South Carolina Association of Convenience Stores at the group’s annual convention.

Crenco Food Stores, led by owner Hal Crenshaw Jr., has been in business for nearly 40 years as a second-generation company. Crenshaw is the son of the late Harold Crenshaw Sr., who founded the Crenshaw Oil Company and helped his son Hal and daughter Jodie (Crenshaw) Elliot start the food stores wing.

Along with developing commercial real estate and running the oil company, Hal Crenshaw owns and operates five convenience stores in the area, including two truck stops along I-77.

Crenshaw told the SCACS that he had to cut employees over the last few years because of the Affordable Care Act.

“But we overcame as a family, worked as a team of 49 (employees), to make sure that our dedication to our customers would remain No. 1 despite stipulations put on our business,” Crenshaw said.

“I’m honored, humbled, and grateful for the 49 employees we do have, who make it a priority every day of their lives to make sure Crenco Food Stores is the best.”

This story was originally published August 9, 2017 at 4:37 PM with the headline "‘Humbled, grateful’: York, Lancaster, Chester store chain earns top S.C. honor."