First Coast Energy L.L.P., parent company of the Daily’s convenience store chain, intends to renovate and move into a new Southside headquarters by the end of 2022.
The company paid $3.025 million May 14 for a 37,850-square-foot single-story Southpoint building at 6867 Southpoint Drive N. Developed in 1991, it sits on a 4.8-acre site.
Director of Marketing Max Glober said June 4 the space is larger than its existing location of 23 years while remaining in the same general area.
It allows space for a commissary kitchen for First Coast Energy to develop and test concepts for its Daily’s Dash food service and for warehouse space.
“We decided to buy that building because it is centrally located,” Glober said.
“We like sticking to the Southpoint area,” he said, referring to the Interstate 95 and Butler Boulevard area.
Glober said the company has been leasing its current 22,500-square-foot space, which has office, warehouse and some kitchen functions, since 1998 at 7014 A.C. Skinner Parkway, No. 290, in Liberty Business Park.
First Coast Energy bought the Southpoint building from South State Bank, a successor by merger to CenterState Bank.
CenterState assumed the property in a deed in lieu of foreclosure in March 2020.
“We are going to be having some pretty extensive build-out and modifications to the building,” Glober said, but he did not have an estimate of that investment.
The city issued a permit June 4 for First Coast Energy to demolish the interior nonstructural components, including walls and the ceiling, at a cost of $63,000.
C.&.R. General Contractors Inc. of Jacksonville is the demolition contractor.
First Coast Energy is led by President and CEO Aubrey Edge, who also is president of Petro Distributing Inc., which was created in 1994 and shares headquarters.
Glober said about 100 people work at headquarters, with a total workforce of 2,000 among its gas and convenience store network, including 38 Daily’s and other Shell stations.
He said First Coast Energy operates about 100 stations, including the Daily’s, in Florida as well as 20 stores in North Carolina under the Mountain Energy brand. All of First Coast Energy’s stores sell Shell gasoline.
The majority of the Northeast Florida Daily’s stores have Dash cafes. Glober said First Coast Energy is looking at adding those to the Southeast Florida Daily’s.
The Dash fast-casual cafe concept sells breakfast and lunch sandwiches, subs, paninis, tacos, soups, salads, baked goods, ice cream and drinks, including coffee and smoothies. Glober said the company continually refreshes the menu.
First Coast Energy also is the title sponsor of the Daily’s Place Amphitheater next to TIAA Bank Field. As a Jacksonville Jaguars Jamboree partner, it has three Daily’s locations in the stadium
Daily’s also operates a 3425 N. Main St. commissary and warehouse along with a 48-foot-long food truck.
The Daily’s truck operates at Jaguars games, Daily’s Place and community events.
In addition, First Coast Energy owns property Downtown. It paid almost $3.3 million Aug. 21 for the 1.4-acre block bounded by Forsyth, Jefferson, Bay and Broad streets.
JEA reviewed a service availability request in 2020 for First Coast Energy to develop a Daily’s gas station and convenience store at the site.
Glober said First Coast Energy is working on plans for that site and welcomes the Downtown development proposals by Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan and others.
He said the company has not fully defined what it intends to do at the site it owns.
First Coast Energy operates The Daily’s Foundation to support Northeast Florida charities.
