Square One Markets #105 was a combination convenience store and fuel station located in Wilson Borough, Pennsylvania, adjacent to Easton in the Lehigh Valley. The design, implemented in 2013, highlighted S|D|A Architects, P.C.’s ability to integrate new brand directives into an existing structure to deliver what Square One Markets Inc. envisioned: a welcoming, premium option in the convenience-store market, one meant to compete with the industry’s biggest brands in the region.
Square One Markets wanted their new location not to be simply another gas station. Their goal was to build a trusted brand of stores where customers felt confident refueling while purchasing fresh food and beverages under the same roof.
The design instantly announced Square One Markets’ arrival with bold red and purple highlights against the cleanly redesigned building scheme. These colors are not traditionally used in the convenience-store industry and, in this case, showcased Square One Markets as a fresh, modern, forward-thinking chain that prioritized the customer experience.
Nowhere was that more prominent than in the entrance design. From the beginning, S|D|A Architects, P.C. wanted the remodeled store to invite customers inside and help them navigate without using a single word. For that, the store was given sliding glass doors that aligned with the primary service counter. Customers intuitively grasped the store layout upon entering and could exit immediately upon completing their transactions. This furthered the sense of trust and ease of use that came from shopping at a Square One Markets location.
The other major aspect of the redesign was the total site reconfiguration needed to refresh the fuel canopy and pumps for the modern era.
Scott Douglas Allen, S|D|A Architects, P.C.’s principal, heavily utilized his construction expertise to assess the strength of the old service station’s fuel canopy for Square One Markets’ rebranding. The design incorporated new metal canopy fascia to match the client’s branding colors and support its logo.
The fuel pumps themselves required further updating. Motorists today expect all fuel grades to be available at each pump. S|D|A Architects, P.C.’s design integrated multi-product dispensers (MPDs) at every pump, as well as industry-standard CRINDS, or card readers in dispenser, to provide customers with quick and seamless refueling.
Scott’s extensive construction experience also infused the pump-area redesign with the best in safety. Tankers now had enough space to refuel without ensnaring parking-lot traffic or approaching the store too closely.
The schematics adhered to the then-current NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) 30A Code for Motor Fuel Dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages. The redesign placed emergency-disconnect switches between 20 and 100 feet from the pumps. Similarly, as the pump area is a Class I, Division 2 (CID2) hazardous location with susceptibility to fuel leaks, the design ensured only compliant electrical-ignition equipment was located in that zone.
Finally, the new design called for modern high-density polyethylene (HDPE) piping and electrical cable sleeving between the underground tanks and the service counter inside to allow for safe, reliable fuel delivery.
In the end, S|D|A Architects, P.C.’s complete architectural redesign for this Square One Markets location in Wilson Borough, PA, did more than just bring an old service station into the current era. The elements it considered for the in-store experience, exterior spatial allowances, and refueling safety addressed customer needs that would only be noticed if they weren’t present.
This project brought together S|D|A Architects, P.C.’s primary interests in the beauty of practicality and the targeted psychology of retail spaces.