Yakima-based Maid OClover Corp., has sold all of its 19 convenience stores, including nine in the Spokane area, for $12 million in transactions approved in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, says its CEO, Jeff Loudon.


Were out of the convenience-store business, Loudon says. Of the Spokane-area stores, Zip Trip bought four of them, and the balance (five) went to a consortium of Korean and East Indian people, he says.


The Zip Trip chain is owned by Jopo Inc., which now operates 35 stores in Eastern Washington, North Idaho, and eastern Oregon, including 24 in the Spokane area.


We wanted to grow our business, says Jopo Vice President Ian Johnstone. We have been operating them since last month.


Loudon and Johnstone both decline to disclose the terms of the transactions, but Bankruptcy Court records put the combined value of the four stores Zip Trip bought at about $4 million. They are located at 2103 W. Northwest Blvd., 909 N. Division, 2005 N. Hamilton, and 1418 S. Garfield in Airway Heights. Those stores now operate under the Zip Trip name.


Minor remodeling and other changes were made to those stores, Johnstone says.


Loudon, meanwhile declines to disclose the name of the consortium that bought the other five Spokane-area Maid OClover outlets. An attorney representing Maid OClover couldnt be reached for comment. A manager reached by phone at one of those five stores said that at least two of them now operate under the name Neighbors. He declined further comment.


The remaining 10 stores operated by Maid OClover outside the Spokane area were sold to various groups and independent operators, Loudon says.


Maid OClover, a private concern, filed for protection from creditors under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code on Dec. 30, 2002. Loudon declines to discuss the status of the bankruptcy proceedings, and its unclear whether the company has other operations.