T-L Photos/GAGE VOTA Love’s Travel Center will be opening in Morristown on Jan. 30.

MORRISTOWN — Love’s Travel Center will be opening in Morristown on Jan. 30.

The travel stop is just across Ohio 149 from an existing Pilot station that was opened in 2013.

The Morristown location will be the 26th Love’s in the state of Ohio.

“Love’s is excited to join the Belmont, Ohio, community with a new store scheduled to open on January 30, 2025,” Love’s Media Relations Specialist Lauren Daniels said.

In addition to being a travel center, Love’s will also have a Hardee’s and a Godfather’s Pizza.

In 2021, the only Hardee’s in the Ohio Valley closed and was later converted into a Dunkin’ Donuts, so its arrival back in the community is expected to make fans of the fast food restaurant smile.

“The travel stop will add 60 jobs to the area, along with a Godfather’s Pizza, Hardee’s and Love’s Fresh Kitchen with fresh food options such as sandwiches, wraps and salads made on site,” Daniels said.

She added that the travel stop will include a truck care location, expected to open this spring.

The 17,000-square-foot building was constructed by Harris United and broke ground in early July.

“Anytime we can offer travelers more amenities to get off the interstate when passing through Belmont County, the better!” county Tourism Director Jackee Pugh previously said. “Tourists spending at gas stations contributes to our local economy. This spending can lead to a positive ripple effect, benefiting other local businesses. Hopefully, they will stop to get gas or snacks and check out the other attractions nearby like Barkcamp State Park, Tri-State Military Veterans Museum or Epworth Park, to name a few.”

According to Love’s Travel Centers’ website, it is the nation’s leading travel stop network with 644 locations in 42 states. Founded in 1964 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company is family-owned and operated with more than 40,000 people employed.

“Love’s is a significant economic contributor to the communities we operate in and are often the largest taxpayer in a community,” Daniels said.