Jurassic Mart opens in Norwalk

NORWALK — Forget lions, tigers and bears. Norwalk's new convenience store and gas station combination is about to be overrun with dinosaurs. While not on display during Monday's grand opening, those venturing inside the new Mickey Mart and Dunkin, 251 Benedict Ave., across from Fisher-Titus, could visualize where the many dinosaur-themed visuals — murals, statues and other exhibits — will soon appear. The Jurassic-themed gas station will be a "refueling experience," as explained by Norwalk Mayor Dave Light, one of several dignitaries in attendance for Monday's on-site ribbon-cutting ceremony. Traveling across America in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, drivers and their passengers could count on fun and interesting stops, including on the famed Route 66. On this cross-country road, seemingly every gas station, motel and restaurant offered a unique theme to distinguish themselves from competitors. Along this same thought process but with a modern twist, dinosaurs will help separate Norwalk's new Mickey Mart from other similar stores, officials said. The company is harkening back to the "golden age of the American Road" with this and other themed gas stations, according to Jason Appel, chief financial officer of The Coles Group, the corporate owner of the Mickey Mart franchise. "Our owner had this vision to differentiate ourselves from the competition by building extra-large stores, bringing the dinosaur element into it and bringing the customers everything we think they would want, under one roof," said Appel, noting this new store is open seven days a week. The company is constructing another store in Shelby, Ohio, with the same theme. The murals in each store will be unique, meaning the themes may be the same, but the experience will be different. Mickey Mart is an Ohio company that sees itself as a national brand, Appel said. This allows the owners to plan and execute grandiose ideas while still keeping the local feel of the stores. "Mickey's takes great pride in working at the local level. We love this area and Ohio, in general, so we source everything possible in-state. We are a local company with a national attitude," Appel said. "It's been a labor of love and a long process to get this store open, and we are excited about it."