At a gas station in Bristol, near Ennis, customers can fill their tanks and order sushi rolled specifically for them.
The combination has put Bristol General Store atop car rental company SIXT’s national ranking of gas station restaurants, according to a news release from the gas station.
Co-owner Jennifer Keathly said the store serves a community of about 750 residents but draws diners from across North Texas and beyond. Its sushi is freshly prepared rather than packaged for customers to grab from a shelf.
“Our sushi is rolled to order,” Jennifer told The Dallas Morning News.
Before buying the store four years ago, Jennifer and her husband, Eric, were customers themselves. Both real estate agents, they decided to purchase the business when the previous owners were ready to sell.
Jennifer said the previous owner introduced sushi to the store about 20 years ago. The couple kept those recipes while expanding the American food offerings and adding a bakery.
When the previous owner decided to sell, the couple saw an opportunity to invest in a business in the community where they lived.
“It’s just a little gas station out in Bristol that people come from all over,” Jennifer told The News. “What excites us most is putting this tiny Texas community on a national map.”
The couple still works in real estate while operating the store.
Jennifer said the store regularly draws customers from Dallas, Fort Worth, Garland, Mesquite and Plano. Some drive about an hour and a half from Denton to eat there.
Others have traveled much farther. She recalled visitors from Japan, South Korea and Germany, along with customers from Minnesota.
Television coverage and social media have helped people discover the business, Jennifer said.
“We don’t really do anything professional on social media,” she said. “We just say, ‘Hey, this is us. Come visit us.’ “
The couple said the store is also a gathering place and a way to support their neighbors.
Jennifer said the business hosts charity events and has participated for three years in Taste of Ennis, a fundraiser where attendees sample food from local restaurants.
“Wherever we can give back, we do,” she said.
Eric credited employees, customers and the surrounding community for the national recognition.
“We are incredibly proud to represent our little town on a national stage,” he said in the news release.
Bristol General Store is at 5710 FM 660, with an Ennis mailing address. Jennifer said the store opens daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the kitchen closing at 8:30 p.m.