Regional marketers discuss hot trends in the cold vault. Variety and pricing are the keys to building the beer business, according to a Convenience Store Decisions survey of regional marketers. “We’re seeing strong sales in imports, as well as the flavored alcoholic beverages,” said Doreen Lewis, category manager of beer and wine for Portsmouth, N.H.-based [...]
Company president John MacDougall announces major staff changes as he turns is attention to real estate development. John MacDougall is on a first-name basis with all of his employees and a great many of his customers, too. Well, when customers see him in his Nice N Easy stores and recognize him from the chain’s radio [...]
A growing profit center for c-stores, Iowa’s TouchPlay machines have triggered a statewide clash that might mean the program’s removal. The controversial TouchPlay machine, which has sparked a lottery vs. casino debate throughout Iowa, is smacking the convenience store owner where it hurts mostthe pocketbook. Consider Larry Bentler, president of Houghton, Iowa-based Jet Gas Corp., [...]
Sheetz increases efficiency 13% at its Pa. distribution center using stretch wrappers. Sheetz Inc. understands that speed and innovation are differentiators in the convenience industry. The family-owned Altoona, Pa.-based chain proved it by being one of the first retailers to integrate touchscreen ordering into its Made-to-Order (MTO) food offer. It followed that up by creating [...]
Convenience Store Decisions’ Reader’s Choice Awards honor the top performers in more than 20 in-store categories. “Honesty,” “integrity” and “committed to the industry.” These were just a fewof the glowing accolades industry-retailers had for their supplier partnersin Convenience Store Decisions‘ first annual Reader’s Choice Awards. “We consider our relationships with retail and wholesale partners to [...]
Decision Makers Kyle Krause, CEO of Kum & Go announces the promotion of Brian Thompson as chief acquisitions officer. Thompson will be responsible for developing the company’s Grow Business department, an area responsible for all convenience store acquisitions and alternative business developments.He has been with Kum & Go since 2003, and was previouslyits chief financial [...]
One of the key lessons I learned from one of my mentors in the publishing business is that it's not the job of a trade magazine editor to be smarter than anybody else (you can only imagine what a relief it was to hear that). Instead, our job is to know where to find the [...]
CSD survey finds marketing, communications and wireless technology are keys to unlocking future growth. By most accounts, 10 years really isn’t all that significant a span of time. But to suppliers of convenience stores, a decadeparticularly this past decadehas been monumental in the ongoing evolution of the c-store industry and the customers it serves. During [...]
Greg Hendricks thought it was just a regular day when the vice president of Taylor Petroleum breezed into the Radio Shack where he was working in 1983. He asked Hendricks if he liked working with computers, which he did, and brought him on board the company's pump maintenance team. Twenty-three years later, Hendricks' technology roots [...]
McLane: K&G, Brewer Oil re-up K & G Stores (Lone Tree, CO) has extended its service agreement withMcLane Co. Inc. (www.mclaneco.com).Michael Hayes, K & G vice president of sales and operations, said his company'srelationship with McLane has helped grow the business with good merchandisingand solid overall service. K & G has been a marketing leader [...]
A look at the Fina brand 16 Years (200 CSD Issues) Later By Jeff Morris President and CEO, Alon USA Jeff Morris, president and CEO of Alon USA, reflects on the growth of the Finabrand since the company was profiled in the inaugural issue of ConvenienceStore Decisions 16 years ago. After reviewing the article about [...]
ACRC working overtime on legislative agenda, retailer recruitment. The federal government is poised to enact legislation substantially affecting over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceuticals. Do you know what they are? If not, the American Council on Regulatory Compliance (ACRC) says your business is at risk of losing a potentially high margin, high profit category. ACRC, a Falls Church, [...]
With credit card fees eating away at fuel margins, NACS is promoting an alternative. While in-store sales are flat, retailers’ biggest concern is profit margin erosion triggered by escalating credit-and debit-card processing fees. Beset by record-high gas prices over the past two quarters, convenience store and petroleum marketers are struggling to maintain profitability. In addition [...]
American Auto Wash launches a proprietary fuel offering with plans to introduce it to franchisees in the Mid-Atlantic. In Greek mythology the griffin has served many purposes including the guardian of treasures and kings. Kevin Kan hopes his Griffin will represent similar riches. Kan, president and CEO of American Auto Wash Inc., rolled out the [...]
Jenny Bullard pinpoints trends that have shaped the industry and identifies new developments leading it into the future. Jenny Bullard is a portrait of the consumate professional company’s needs to grow business, and the industry as whole is benefiting. As a foremost authority on developing c-store technology solutions, Bullard has been actively involved in many [...]