When customers arrive at the Springfield East TA in Strafford, Mo., they find much more that just a full-service fuel center and garage. Located inside the travel store is a gift shop with a selection that rivals any shopping center for miles around.

"We have one of the most extensive gift stores in the entire TA network," says General Manager Vincent Pentecost. "While we specialize in electronics, we really have something for everyone."

Owned by the Wilmoth family, the remodeled Springfield East location became a franchise of the TA network in September 1997. The family also owns the TA in Mt. Vernon, which is about 50 miles west of Strafford.

The honesty and integrity of the Wilmoth family make his job a lot easier, says Pentecost, who worked his way up to the position of GM after three years. "They're very talented people who care about the folks who work for them," he says.

One member of the Wilmoth family, Diana Porter, works alongside Pentecost as the merchandiser of the gift shop. Porter began running the shop when the family took over the location almost four years ago. She has made it her goal to offer gifts and accessories that customers can't find anywhere else on the road.

"If I carry the same thing that everyone else does, why would any one want to stop here?" Porter asks. "We're here to serve the drivers, and one way we do that is by making ourselves their one-stop shop."

Drivers can have a tough time buying gifts for family and loved ones while they're on the road, says Porter. By offering a great selection in their gift shop, the Springfield East TA saves drivers from the hassle of having to stop twice.

In addition to the 2-way radios, televisions and radar detectors, the gift shop sells everything from collectible Franklin Mint model cars, to porcelain gifts to Wrangler jeans. They even carry wedding rings in their jewelry collection. Offering superior service to drivers is also the goal of the garage's 14-person team, headed by Carl Bunch Sr. Bunch has worked as a mechanic at the Springfield East TA for almost 13 years and says he enjoys getting to know the regulars and their trucks.

Known by his co-workers for his spunky attitude, Bunch hasn't only worked as a mechanic all his life. Before he began working on trucks, a skill he picked up by watching other mechanics, Bunch built caskets, worked on a farm and was a union-member laborer.

"I've done it all," he laughs.

For hungry travelers, the Springfield East TA offers a Country Pride restaurant, Taco Bell and Subway. And the drivers' lounge is the perfect place to take a break from I-44.

If you've still got some time after you've shopped as much as your wallet will allow, the nearby Ozark Mountains and the Mark Twain National Forest boast some of the best fly fishing in the country.

Music fans will enjoy visiting Branson, Mo. Just 40 miles from Strafford, "The Live Music Show Capital of the World" provides endless sights and entertainment.

Though the coming snow and ice can make Missouri winters chilly, drivers will find a warm atmosphere inside the Springfield East TA.

"The employees here like getting to know the drivers on a first-name basis," says Pentecost. "Each customer is unique, and that's what makes our jobs fun."