AM/PM

AM/PM, styled primarily as ampm, is a convenience-store brand that developed around the combination of quick-stop retail and fuel-station locations. Its United States network sells beverages, packaged snacks, prepared meals, bakery items, sandwiches, hot foods, fountain drinks, refrigerated products, and other everyday convenience goods. Many American stores are attached to ARCO or BP fuel stations, although the precise ownership and operating arrangement varies between BP-owned sites, franchisees, and local fuel retailers. The first AM/PM location opened in Southern California in 1978 under Atlantic Richfield Company, commonly known as ARCO. BP acquired ARCO in 2000, bringing the American AM/PM brand into the BP group. The brand subsequently became a major component of BP's convenience retail presence in the western United States. In 2008, BP also used the AM/PM name when converting a number of BP Connect convenience stores in eastern and central American markets. That transition was accompanied by the sale or transfer of several local operations to other retailers, including Medallion Convenience Stores, Ricker Oil, 7-Eleven, and Duchess Shoppe. BP withdrew AM/PM stores from the eastern United States in 2012 while retaining a substantial western network. The brand has principally operated in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, with franchised rights divided among different entities after the separation of ARCO-related assets between BP and Tesoro, later Marathon Petroleum. By the middle of the 2010s, AM/PM was emphasizing foodservice and immediate-consumption products, including coffee, bakery goods, fresh sandwiches, hot foods, fountain drinks, and a value-oriented Good Stuff range. The network reached approximately 1,000 locations in the United States around 2019, based on contemporary company and trade reporting. AM/PM has also been used outside the United States through local operating or licensing arrangements. A Japanese chain using the name was established by Kyodo Oil Company in 1989, later operated under Japan Energy and JOMO branding, sold to Reins International in 2004, and acquired by FamilyMart in 2009. Japanese AM/PM stores were subsequently converted to FamilyMart stores, ending the brand's role in Japan. In Brazil, Ipiranga has operated AM/PM convenience stores at fuel stations, and the name has also appeared at selected fuel-linked sites in Costa Rica, Mexico, Argentina, and formerly Chile. The American brand returned to the East Coast in 2022 when BP opened an AM/PM location in the Bronx, New York City, followed by a Queens location in 2023. BP has also developed a separate but related convenience portfolio through Thorntons, in which it acquired full ownership after first taking a minority stake. BP has stated that AM/PM and Thorntons would remain separate operating brands. AM/PM therefore represents a geographically varied retail brand: a BP-owned and franchised American convenience banner, a former Japanese convenience chain, and a name used by local fuel-retail partners in several other countries.

AM/PM began in the United States as a convenience-store concept associated with ARCO fuel stations. Its first location opened in Southern California in 1978. The operating model paired fuel purchases with quick access to drinks, snacks, prepared food, and basic everyday merchandise. The name became particularly associated with the western American fuel-retail market. The brand's history later diverged across countries. In the United States, ARCO remained the founding operating company until BP acquired Atlantic Richfield Company in 2000. AM/PM consequently became part of BP's retail portfolio. In 2008, BP converted a number of BP Connect stores in eastern and central markets to the AM/PM name. Several of those regional businesses were later sold or transferred to local operators, and BP announced a withdrawal from most eastern AM/PM operations in 2012. The remaining American business concentrated on the western states, with a mixture of BP-owned and franchised sites. Changes in ARCO ownership also affected franchise geography. After BP and Tesoro divided ARCO-related assets, AM/PM franchising rights were administered through different entities in parts of the West. BP retained the AM/PM brand while some regional fuel operators controlled local station networks. Company-owned sites in certain areas were later converted to other banners following fuel-retail transactions. During the 2010s, AM/PM increasingly highlighted foodservice rather than treating the store simply as an adjunct to fuel sales. The offer included coffee, bakery products, fresh sandwiches, hot foods, fountain drinks, refrigerated items, and the Good Stuff value line. By 2014, the brand reported operations in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington and was associated with roughly 950 stores. It approached 1,000 locations later in the decade and reached that scale in connection with a new BP outlet around 2019. The Japanese AM/PM business followed a separate path. Kyodo Oil established the chain in Japan in 1989, with many locations placed at Kyodo Oil filling stations. After Kyodo Oil became Japan Energy and its stations adopted the JOMO identity, the convenience business was sold to Reins International in 2004. FamilyMart acquired the Japanese chain in 2009, after which AM/PM stores were progressively converted to FamilyMart stores. The Japanese operation therefore ceased to function as a separate AM/PM chain. The brand name has also been used through local arrangements in other markets. AM/PM stores have operated in Costa Rica and Brazil, including sites connected to Ipiranga stations, and the name has appeared at selected stations in Mexico and Argentina. It formerly operated at Petrobras stations in Chile. These international activities do not necessarily represent a single unified store network or identical ownership structure. In the United States, BP revived the brand's eastern presence in 2022 with a Bronx store and added a Queens location in 2023. BP's separate ownership of Thorntons has expanded its convenience-store portfolio, but the company has indicated that Thorntons and AM/PM would remain distinct brands. AM/PM's present identity is consequently strongest as a BP-linked American convenience banner, while its historical international uses reflect local ownership, licensing, and fuel-retail partnerships.

• 2023

  Queens location opened

  [1]Ampmen.wikipedia.org

  A second New York City AM/PM location opened in Queens.

• 2022

  AM/PM returned to the East Coast

  [1]Ampmen.wikipedia.org

  BP opened an AM/PM store in the Bronx, restoring an eastern United States presence after a decade-long absence.

• 2019

  United States network reached about 1,000 locations

  [1]Ampmen.wikipedia.org

  A new BP outlet was described as the 1,000th AM/PM location in the American network.

• 2012

  Eastern United States withdrawal

  [1]Ampmen.wikipedia.org

  BP withdrew most AM/PM stores east of the Rocky Mountains and concentrated the brand on western markets.

• 2009

  FamilyMart acquired AM/PM Japan

  [1]Ampmen.wikipedia.org

  FamilyMart acquired the Japanese chain, leading to the conversion of its stores to FamilyMart locations.

• 2004

  Japanese business sold to Reins International

  [1]Ampmen.wikipedia.org

  The Japanese AM/PM operation changed ownership from Japan Energy to Reins International.

• 2000

  BP acquired ARCO

  [1]Ampmen.wikipedia.org

  BP's acquisition of Atlantic Richfield brought the American AM/PM brand under BP ownership.

• 1989

  Japanese AM/PM chain established

  [1]Ampmen.wikipedia.org

  Kyodo Oil established a separate Japanese convenience-store business using the AM/PM name.

• 1985

  Eastern ARCO operations were separated

  [1]Ampmen.wikipedia.org

  ARCO spun off its northeastern operations to Atlantic Petroleum, and the affected stores were rebranded A-Plus.

• 1978

  First AM/PM store opened in Southern California

  [1]Ampmen.wikipedia.org

  The first location established the brand's convenience-store format alongside ARCO fuel operations.

A quick-service convenience retailer focused on immediate-consumption food, beverages, everyday essentials, and fuel-station convenience.

• Convenience retail · 1978

  Convenience-store retail

  The core AM/PM format provides beverages, packaged snacks, refrigerated products, prepared food, bakery items, sandwiches, hot foods, and other everyday convenience merchandise. The assortment is designed for quick purchases by motorists and nearby customers, with exact products determined by the country, franchisee, and store format.

• Prepared food and beverages

  Foodservice

  AM/PM has emphasized immediate-consumption food and drink, including coffee, bakery products, fresh sandwiches, hot food, fountain beverages, and refrigerated drinks. Some stores provide a condiment bar or other self-service accompaniments. Foodservice became a more prominent part of the brand's positioning during the 2010s.

• Fuel-linked convenience retail · 1978

  Fuel-station retail

  Many United States AM/PM locations are attached to ARCO or BP fuel stations, while international locations have operated alongside brands such as Ipiranga, Pemex, and YPF. AM/PM does not itself represent a uniform fuel operation in every market; fuel ownership and services depend on the local station operator.

• Value product range

  ampm Good Stuff

  Good Stuff was identified as AM/PM's value-oriented product line during the brand's 2010s food and convenience merchandising period. Available information does not establish a complete product list or its current availability across the network.

• 2022

  Return to the East CoastProduct launch

  Background

  AM/PM had been absent from the eastern United States since BP's 2012 withdrawal.

  Action taken

  BP opened a new AM/PM convenience store in the Bronx, New York City.

  Aftermath

  The opening re-established an East Coast presence and was followed by a Queens location in 2023.

  Source

• 2012

  Withdrawal from eastern United States marketsStrategy

  Background

  BP was restructuring its fuel and convenience retail portfolio and divesting or planning to divest AM/PM operations east of the Rocky Mountains.

  Action taken

  BP announced that it would withdraw AM/PM stores from the eastern United States by the end of the year, including operations in Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Orlando.

  Aftermath

  The brand concentrated on western states while retaining a large western network and franchise relationships.

  Source

• 2008

  Rebranding of selected BP Connect storesStrategy

  Background

  BP had a number of BP Connect convenience stores in American markets outside AM/PM's traditional western base.

  Action taken

  BP converted selected BP Connect stores to the AM/PM banner, extending the brand into markets including Chicago, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Orlando, and Pittsburgh.

  Aftermath

  Several of the affected regional operations were subsequently sold or transferred to local retailers, and some locations adopted other brands.

  Source

1. 1Ampmen.wikipedia.org
2. 2AM/PM official websiteampm.com