For more than half a century, Iowa 80 Truckstop has been serving travelers and professional drivers off Interstate 80 near Walcott, Iowa. “We’re known as the world’s largest truck stop—our convenience store is 6,800 square feet, and the entire complex is more than 100,000 square feet,” said General Manager Mike Hutchison. “We’re continually looking for ways to better serve our core customer (the professional driver), travelers and locals.”

A BIG STORY

Iowa 80 Truckstop began in a small building in 1964, well before Interstate 80 was finished. Bill Moon, who founded the store, scouted the prime location for Standard Oil. In 1965, Moon took over management of the station, and in 1984, purchased the property with his wife, Carolyn.

Once the Moon family had the deed, they began expanding the facility and adding services. “Bill just loved everything about trucks and trucking,” his wife shared on the store’s webpage detailing its history. “He loved to sit at the counter in the restaurant and talk to drivers about what would make their life easier if Iowa 80 had it.”

That attitude of service can be seen in the amenities offered at the complex that includes 10 on-location restaurants and 42 fueling positions. Truckers and travelers can also get their canine clean at the dog wash, take a shower and get a haircut, exercise, do laundry, watch a movie in a 60-seat theater and visit a dentist or chiropractor. In July 2008, the facility added the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum, which houses many of the family’s transportation memorabilia and antique trucks.

ALWAYS IMPROVING

With such a rich history, it would be tempting to keep the status quo rather than innovating, but that’s not the way of Iowa 80. For example, in 2019, the company remodeled its convenience store to provide more grab-and-go items made daily on-site. “We started out with a restaurant and added new food options over the years,” Hutchison said. “But a few years ago, we realized people wanted healthier options, so we brought in apples and bananas to the convenience store.”

When sales of the fresh fruit took off, Iowa 80 expanded to more fresh fruit and vegetables, local meats and sausages, cheeses and yogurt, all under the Iowa 80 brand. “We wanted good quality and healthy options for people who don’t want to wait in line,” said Scott Heine, store manager.

Housed in five, open air coolers, the grab-and-go section is now roughly a third of the store footprint. “The section complements our bakery cases and coffee and fountain bars. We’re continually expanding to provide other options for customers,” Heine said. The grab-and-go products are available 24/7 and are made daily by a dedicated staff to keep up with demand. “Frankly, I wish other categories turned over as quickly as our grab-and-go cases do,” Heine said.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

The management of Iowa 80 Truckstop believes in making sure each employee knows who they are. “We’re all working managers, and we work with every level of staff every day in a hands-on way,” said Heine. “Our staff did an unbelievable job during the pandemic shutdowns amid traffic and sales increases, and our managers were right there with them on the front line, too.”

Constant training and open communication between staff and management have forged strong relationships among employees. “Many of our managers have been here a very long time,” said Hutchison. “I’ve been here 42 years, and Scott’s been here 27 years.”

We’re continually looking for ways to better serve our core customer (the professional driver), travelers and locals.

That longevity contributes to a sense of family among the employees. “We need more than 500 employees to staff this facility, and the more we can create a good working environment, the more people will want to stick around,” Hutchison said. “That’s good for us as a company and good for our customers, too.”

Whether it’s the professional driver needing a shower or hungry travelers in search of sustenance, those who visit Iowa 80 Truckstop should leave with the feeling that it’s “a home away from home,” Hutchison said. “Anything they’d want, we have. It’s difficult especially for our professional drivers to have access to many of the things locals take for granted, so we want to make sure we provide for them what they need to get back on the road.