An Sourdough Fuel official said Three Bears bought the convenience store/gas station situated at 3330 Badger Road in North Pole is in the process of transferring the liquor license for the store. (Sourdough Fuel/Google Maps)

Three Bears Alaska is continuing its expansion across the state.

The rapidly expanding Wasilla-based grocery and retail chain is purchasing six properties. Recent acquisitions include a store for supplies in Unalaska and a gas station convenience shop located in Delta Junction. In Fairbanks, Three Bears is buying four Sourdough Fuel gas-station-convenience stores.

“The Sourdough stations, the gas stations that are there they’re all going become Three Bears gas stations,” said Jim Kolb, a Three Bears spokesperson.

Kolb confirmed that the company is currently developing plans for the switchover. The Sourdough Fuel official confirmed one of the purchases, but directed queries for clarification to Three Bears. Kolb stated that his company will be able convert the fuel stations quickly, as all the company needs to do is alter the signs and replace new stock.

However, he added that the need for more work is likely in connection with a new acquisition that is a privately-owned convenience store and gas station in the downtown area of Delta Junction.

“Yeah we purchased that Buffalo Service station and the shop,” he said, “and we’re planning to turn it into a gasoline station and a small grocery store, at least for the moment.”

Three Bears plans to remodel the Buffalo Service repair shop into the size of a mini-grocery store and then construct a new building next year to create a full-sized store. (Tim Ellis/KUAC)

Kolb explained that the company will manage the business as it is until the summer of next year and then plans to construct a full-sized grocery store on the spot. However, he added that Three Bears wants to provide the community with a minimum of one small store as quickly as it is possible, since the company has been hearing from Delta residents regarding the need for locally available food products.

“Because we know that they don’t have anything there And they’ve repeatedly screamed,” he said in an interview on Friday.

Delta has lost its sole grocery store in the month of December 2021, after the store’s roof fell down due to a massive snowfall caused by the winter storm. Since then, the store’s proprietor Ed Larson has been selling an assortment of food items stored in his liquor store, which is located next to the store currently in the process of being built.

“Yeah it’s going be a battle,” he said. “I think we’re not purchasing his company.”

In addition, Three Bears also is expanding into the Aleutian Islands, with the acquisition and the planned expansion of their Alaska Ship Supply store in Unalaska..

“I believe that November is the time we’re going to be able to open that door,” Kolb said.

Three Bears plans to expand the groceries section of its Alaska Ship Supply Store in Unalaska. (Andy Lusk/KUCB)

Three Bears has been on an acquisition spree in the last year and half since the company signed an recapitalization contract with an equity-based private firm in Seattle. Since it was signed, Three Bears has built or bought stores in Ketchikan, Eagle River, Cooper Landing, Esterand North Pole.

“We had been growing in the past before that,” Kolb said, “but the recapitalization of the company has enabled us to use the capital of investors, instead of the bank’s which means we need to make a smaller in the way of down (payment) to start these projects which is extremely beneficial.”

In addition to the six most recent purchases, Three Bears has 13 supermarkets, eight gas stations, nine stores of sporting goods along with four pharmacies. The company first opened the first of its stores in Tok in the year 1980.

Kolb explained that the company is working hard to keep up with its numerous construction and renovation projectsincluding a brand-new store in North Pole.

“That North Pole store was scheduled to be operating this summer. It was moved to the next summer,” he said. “I mean, we’re trying. Three stores are going in the moment. We’re also getting a few more also. We’re pretty much slammed at the moment.”

The North Pole project includes a greater than 56,000 square feet of a grocery store as well as a more than 14,000-square-foot Ace Hardware store. North Pole Mayor Mike Welch has said that the development located on the south of North Pole promises to transform the town to the extent that it did the North Pole Plaza did back in the 1980s.

“That was a moment at the city’s crossroads in the 40s or so years prior,” he said, “being in a position to say”We don’t need to travel to Fairbanks any more. We have our own supermarket and hardware store, any other thing.'”

Welch as well as Kolb both expect that the New North Pole retail complex will be open by Memorial Day.