7-Eleven takes over 51 ExxonMobil retail locations

Under terms of the pending deal, the stations will continue to sell Exxon gasoline, which will have signage on the station canopies.

But 7-Eleven will own and operate the accompanying retail stores. The Dallas-based convenience store firm bought 39 of the locations and has taken over the leases on the rest.

The acquisition includes 21 Dallas stores, five locations in Fort Worth and Arlington and six in Mesquite and Garland.

7-Eleven plans to offer jobs to the Exxon Mobil workers who are now in these locations.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The North Texas purchase is just the latest in a series of such acquisitions 7-Eleven has made, many in other states, from Exxon Mobil in the last year.

“This acquisition fits well with our aggressive growth strategy,” Sean Duffy, 7-Eleven vice president of mergers and acquisitions, said in a statement. “In terms of store growth, 2011 promises to be 7-Eleven’s biggest year since 1986.

“These high-volume locations complement our existing real estate portfolio in the Dallas-Fort Worth area,” said Duffy, previously a retail executive at Exxon Mobil.

The Irving-based oil company has been selling off its retail operations for several years. Exxon Mobil said in 2008 that it would sell its more than 2,000 company-owned stations in the U.S.

The latest transaction with 7-Eleven is set to close late this year, and 7-Eleven will begin remodeling the stores in 2012.

7-Eleven has 239 stores in the D-FW area, including seven added this year. The chain has recently added several locations in downtown Dallas and has a new outlet in the works at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. It added 18 D-FW area stores in 2010.

The company has more than 8,800 stores in North America.

By Steve Brown, Real Estate Editor, Dallas Morning News, published 12:12 p.m. Aug. 16. SteveBrown@DallasNews.com