Columbia travel center remodeled as part of $1B overhaul initiative

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The Flying J travel center in Columbia has been upgraded with new amenities.

The renovations are part of Pilot Cos.’ nationwide initiative, called New Horizons, to invest $1 billion in remodeling its stores to upgrade the experience for team members and guests, and prepare for the future of travel, a Pilot news release stated.

Additionally, Pilot Company is donating $10,000 to the Richland One school district as part of its commitment to giving back, according to the release.

As part of the store’s complete overhaul from curb to counter, the Flying J travel center located at 5901 Fairfield Road features:

Refreshed and expanded restrooms and showers to improve the guest experience

• A remodeled kitchen to serve guests their favorite food items;
• New hot food and soup offerings;
• Four new self-checkouts for a quicker shopping experience;
• Expanded beverage coolers;
• A new employee breakroom;
• Updated driver lounge; and
• Updated public laundry facilities.

“We are excited to showcase our newly updated travel center with the Columbia community and the travelers we serve every day,” said Allison Cornish, vice president of store modernization at Pilot Co. said in the release. “We continue to listen to our guest’s feedback and strive to make their travel experiences easier and more enjoyable.”

The New Horizons initiative is a three-year project to fully remodel more than 400 Pilot, Flying J and One9 travel center locations and marks the company’s most significant investment in store modernization to date.