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United Refining of Warren is planning to purchase property along Biddle Street in Kane.
The
vacant site, which includes almost two acres of land, is located at the
former location of the Affiliated plant on Biddle Street (Route 6). The
plant closed several years ago and a fire later destroyed the large
Affiliated building.
The Northwest Savings Bank drive-through facility at Biddle and Hacker Streets is located just east of the site sought by United Refining.Todd Weiland, director of real estate for United Refining, has confirmed the “pending purchase” of the vacant site in Kane. He said the company has “no immediate plans” to develop the property. “We’re always looking,” Weiland said in discussing United Refining’s search for suitable sites. “We couldn’t pass it up,” he said in reference to United Refining's interest in the Kane site. “It’s a nice piece of commercial property.” There is speculation that United Refining may be buying the Kane site as a future location for a Kwik Fill Red Apple store or a Country Fair store. United Refining operates Red Apple and Country Fair stores in several locations. Both Red Apple and Country Fair are convenience stores, which feature gasoline pumps, certain grocery items, tobacco and cigarettes and hot and cold foods. United Refining operates nearly 300 Kwik Fill Red Apple stores in Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio. Kane has a Kwik Fill gasoline station and small convenience store on North Fraley Street, but the business is not as large as many of the Red Apples operated by United. The company operates 75 Country Fair convenience stores in Northwestern Pennsylvania, Western New York and Eastern Ohio. One of the newer Country Fair stores is located on Pennsylvania Avenue in Warren. This store features made-to-go sandwiches as well as beverages, snacks, frozen foods and certain grocery items. Another busy Country Fair is located at the intersection of Routes 66 and 322 between Shippenville and Clarion. United Refining operates an oil refinery in Warren that can process 70,000 barrels of oil per day into gasoline, diesel fuel and other petroleum products. The company was founded in 1902 and now has more than 4,300 employees. Revenue in 2007 topped $2.4 billion, according to company information. No date has been set for the purchase of the Kane property by United. A rig came to Kane recently to drill test borings on the property. Ruts left by the equipment are highly visible on the property on the north side of Biddle Street.
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