Houston Gas & C-Store Scene Leaps Into 2025

Access to expansion capital accelerates operator growth despite economic headwinds

HOUSTON, TEXAS / ACCESS Newswire / April 7, 2025 /The Houston market continues to yield strong expansion opportunities in the Houston gas and c-store business, despite elevated rates and indicators of a looming recession.

"Gas & C-stores are undoubtedly some of the most recession-resistant businesses," said Joshua Berger, Managing Partner at Century Partners Real Estate. "It comes as no surprise that we are are seeing no slowing down with interest in Panthers Petroleum, which is on a store opening spree in Houston."

Through Century Partners ' sale-leaseback program, Panthers Petroleum, a Houston-based gas & c-store operator, grew from zero to over 20 stores in the course of 2024.

"The market is not slowing down," remarked Panthers Petroleum CEO Chaudhry Ayaz at a recent industry networking event. "It is not outside the realm of possibility that the company could hit 100 stores within a few years."

"We have 12 stores in the opening pipeline to be up and running before May. This is essentially doubling our footprint in half the time as last year," he continued. "We 've been ramping up our internal operational capacity to support the growth."

Utilizing his connections with other operators, suppliers, vendors, fuel distributors and real estate professionals, Ayaz has leveraged his extensive network to create efficiencies in his market segment.

"I am deeply embedded in the Houston gas & c-store community. There 's a lot of interest and activity in the space. Newer operators from the community are starting or acquiring businesses."

"Sourcing expansion capital for operators is our core focus at Century Partners," said Berger. "Traditional financing has continued to present a challenge. With rates remaining elevated, operators are getting scrappy to get stores open, through sale-leasebacks or capital funding sources. We have the connections and resources to facilitate that."

"It is great to be surrounded by some of the most influential operators within the industry, especially the Texas market. Motivated, young operators can jump in, sign a long-term lease and start snowballing their capital stack. We 're excited to help that happen for growing operators in the space." said Berger.

For more information, please contact Joshua Berger at jberger@centrypartnersre.com.

SOURCE: Century Partners Real Estate Inc.

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