ANKENY, Iowa -- Casey's General Stores Inc. will feature daily and monthly specials this spring and summer as it celebrates its 50th year of business in 2018.
Founded in 1968 by Donald Lamberti, with the original store opening in Boone, Iowa, the company has grown to more than 2,000 stores in 16 states.
“In this, our golden anniversary year, we are focused on celebrating our history while also looking forward to the next 50 years. We are grateful for our customers and employees who have made Casey’s a part of their lives. We would not be celebrating this achievement without them,” said Terry Handley, president and CEO of Ankeny, Iowa-based Casey’s.
In 1959, Lamberti leased a store from his father in Des Moines, Iowa. After nine years of operating this old country store, which he remodeled into a convenience store, his gasoline supplier and friend, Kurvin C. Fish, suggested that he buy the Square Deal Oil Co. in Boone.
Lamberti purchased the service station with a three-bay garage. Using the knowledge he gained from his store in Des Moines, he converted the gas station into a convenience store. The Boone store was named "Casey's" by using Kurvin C. Fish's initials.
He built a third store in Waukee, Iowa, which had a population of about 1,500. This was the first Casey's built totally from scratch. Lamberti decided to establish the stores in communities with a population of 5,000 or fewer.
Casey’s will feature daily and monthly specials May through August to help celebrate this milestone. Customers will also have a chance to win prizes in the company's 50th anniversary sweepstakes during July and August.
Casey’s ranked No. 4 in a year-end update of CSP’s2017 Top 202 list of the largest c-store chains in the United States. It is the fifth-largest pizza chain in the United States.
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