Fort Wayne anchors northeast Indiana as a regional commerce and logistics hub, and its convenience and fuel store inventory reflects that. Buyers find a mix of single-store independents, branded sites, and combined real-estate-plus-business opportunities along the I-69, US 30, and US 24 corridors. With about 60% of US C-stores run by single-store operators, Fort Wayne offers a deep field of owner-operator listings as well as investment-grade assets. C-Store Trader is the fuel and C-store practice of Eagle Nest Property Group (Dallas TX), with brokerage through Eagle Nest Brokerage LLC, a licensed Texas broker, and 250 million dollars plus transacted. We bring institutional underwriting and disciplined deal execution to every Fort Wayne assignment.
The Fort Wayne C-Store Market
Fort Wayne sits at the crossroads of I-69, US 30, and US 24, giving convenience and fuel operators steady commuter and freight traffic across northeast Indiana. The regional inventory ranges from single-store independents to branded sites and truck-oriented fuel stops. Context helps: nearby Ohio counts about 5,833 C-stores and Michigan about 4,960, with roughly 152,000 C-stores nationally and about 60% run by single-store operators. A busy urban station moves 100,000 to 150,000 gallons per month against a US average near 4,000 gallons per day. Inside sales matter more than the pump, with the C-store contributing about 30% of revenue but roughly 70% of profit. See our branded C-stores and truck stops categories for current opportunity types.
Buying a C-Store in Fort Wayne
Underwrite Fort Wayne sites on both fuel and in-store performance. Fuel net profit is only a few cents per gallon even with 2025 fuel gross margins averaging 40 plus cents per gallon, while in-store items carry 20% to 40% margins. Most buyers finance with SBA 7(a), which caps at 5 million dollars and requires a 15% minimum equity injection for special-purpose C-stores, with real estate terms up to 25 years and closings in 30 to 90 days. June 2026 SBA rates run about 9% to 11.5% APR variable. Conventional loans demand 30% to 40% down and many banks avoid underground storage tanks due to CERCLA exposure. Budget 1,800 to 3,500 dollars for a Phase I ESA under ASTM E1527-21. Start with our buyer representation, the valuation calculator, and the due diligence checklist.
Selling a C-Store in Fort Wayne
Sellers in Fort Wayne should position on verified financials and clean environmental records. Business-only operations typically trade at 2.5x to 4.0x EBITDA, with SDE of 2.0x to 3.5x for smaller stores, while combined business-and-real-estate deals reach 4.0x to 7.0x EBITDA and about 8x for premium sites. Some buyers value on throughput at 0.05 to 0.30 dollars per gallon of monthly volume. Typical sale timelines run 3 to 6 months. Business broker commissions run 10% to 20% on business-only deals and about 6% to 10% on real-estate-inclusive transactions. We prepare each Fort Wayne listing with institutional underwriting through our seller representation. Owners exploring a capital event can also review a sale-leaseback or our how to sell a C-store guide.
Values and Cap Rates in Indiana
National C-store cap rates average about 5.6%, roughly 5.58% with fuel and 6.87% without fuel. Coastal and high-growth markets price tightest, with Florida near 5.11% and Texas about 5.63%, while weaker markets run 6.0% to 6.5% and above. As a Midwest secondary market, Fort Wayne and broader Indiana generally sit toward the higher-yield end of that range. Tenant credit drives pricing on net-leased assets, with Murphy USA around 5.13%, 7-Eleven 5.00% to 5.40%, and Circle K 5.35% to 5.65%. Run scenarios with our cap rate calculator and review broader pricing in our cap rates by state guide. For the full state picture, see C-stores for sale in Indiana.
