CASPER, Wyo. — Love’s Travel Stop, located just off Interstate 25 near Bar Nunn, opened its doors to customers today after months of planning and construction.
The 11,000-square-foot truck stop, gas station and convenience store has gas and diesel pumps, bulk propane, 52 truck parking spaces, 57 car parking spaces, five RV spots, an RV dump, a laundry facility and a dog park for patrons to use.
The attached Hardee’s restaurant will open on Monday, Oct. 12 at 7 a.m. Today and tomorrow, Hardee’s workers are pulling Love’s customers at random throughout the day to eat for free at the restaurant to train employees.
By Monday, both Love’s and Hardee’s will be open 24/7.
Patrons were waiting outside for Love’s doors to open this morning, according to general manager Kimberly Hawthorn. Hawthorn said people were generally excited to see the travel stop open, though some were disappointed Hardee’s would not open until Monday.
“I know a lot of people in town are excited that we’re here,” Kimberly Goodman, the food service manager at Hardee’s, said.
With their opening, Love’s and Hardee’s brought with them 40–50 new jobs, according to a Love’s spokesperson. Most of those jobs have already been filled, but Goodman said she is still looking to hire a few more part-time employees.
With Love’s opening, a spokesperson previously said Love’s would donate $5,000 to a local nonprofit. Hawthorn said two local nonprofits have been chosen to split the donation and that they would be announced later this month.
For Hawthorn, the construction of this Love’s has brought her to a new community.
“It’s been a whole new adventure. I’ve never opened a brand-new store before. I’ve been with Love’s for 10 years, but I was always at the same store. When I got the opportunity to come out here, I got to meet new people. We’ve built relationships with different people in the community already and I think it’s going to just keep growing,” Hawthorn said.
For Goodman, the return of Hardee’s to the Casper area has brought her back to her roots. Goodman is originally from Casper and worked at a Hardee’s in Casper, but has spent the last 20 years living in Kansas. Casper’s Hardee’s restaurants were closed in 2023.
Goodman said she hopes the impending return of Hardee’s will bring with it a new regular coffee crowd.
“I hope to bring somewhere where people can relax and just be with a group of friends and hang out,” Goodman said.
She also said she looks forward to providing round-the-clock service to workers in welding, manufacturing and oil who previously lacked access to any 24/7 restaurants or travel stops.
