Perhaps this is the western-most Stewart's? For those unfamiliar, they're a convenience store chain (not related to Stewart's burgers & root beer) with roots around Saratoga, NY and a reach going from as far south as the fringes of the NYC metro area in Orange County, north to the Canadian/Quebec borderlands, to Bennington and Rutland counties in Vermont.
While they aren't the dominant c-store player here in Central New York (anecdotally that seems to be Byrne Dairy and...I won't hazard a guess on others), a full-size Stewart's will offer "fresh" hot food, cold sandwiches, pizza, and they have an ice cream/milkshake counter where they'll make what you want to order.
Unfortunately, Stewart's express lacks the latter. The only ice cream here is sold to-go in pints or half gallons. To their credit, their half gallon is still a true half gallon, and it's in the old school cardboard square containers with the paper on top that you peel off. How nostalgia evoking...
For a scaled down Stewart's, they had 2 or 3 booth-like tables at which to sit. Plenty of beer, cider & trendy hard seltzer is available in their fridge and their "beer cave." That's just their term for a walk in fridge, but it's a nice way to cool down on a 95 degree day like today.
They have pizza, although I haven't tried it. The deal seems to be 2 slices and a drink for $5. Not bad. You can literally pick your poison because they also have... gas station hot dogs! I haven't eaten ones from this Stewart's, but I have at others over in the capital region and live to tell the tale.
There are several gas pumps selling petrol, and the price seems average for the area.
Why 4 stars and not 5? Obviously the lack of fresh ice cream/shakes is a big negative. Additionally, they don't offer the option of cash back when you check out. I was pointed to an ATM where the fee is $2.75! Complete rip off and a cheap money grab if you ask me. I expect that at a bodega somewhere, not Stewart's out here.
Check out Stewart's if you've never been to one. It won't change your life, but you can buy what you need (and what you don't need!) and proceed in and out quickly. Just watch the one-way exit and people that run the light at the intersection as you exit. I blared my horn like I was downstate or back in Jersey, but spared them the unofficial state bird... read more