The good news for conveniencestore owners is that industry foodservice sales continued climbingin 2006 and the forecast for theupcoming year is just as strong. The badnews, however, is that other retail channelsare keying in on food sales and are keenlyfocused on diverting your customers totheir coffee bars, quick-service restaurants(QSRs) and supermarkets. Predicting just how long [...]
Terry Gallagher, Jr.Smoker Friendly International LLC Terry Gallagher, Jr. may very well have oil in hisblood. The first and only president of Boulder, Col.-basedGasamat Oil Corp. dba Smoker Friendly International LLC,Gallagher grew up pumping gas and washing windshieldsunder his father’s watch. He spent college summers getting hishands dirty in the oil fields and refineries, all [...]
While the interview will always be the heart and soul of the hiring process, if you're not doing the preinterview, screening work (completed applications and testing for the needed capacities, attitudes, personality or skills), you're not using all the resources available to you. Why jump into interviewing when you don't know if the applicant even [...]
Open-air coolers coupled with some creativity are helping retailers make the most out of limited workspace. When the average customer walks into aconvenience store—or any retail operation forthat matter—items and prices need to forma marriage of value to motivate them to buy, regardless of the purchase. This can be difficult given the limited space available [...]
What if the average Americanconsumer took a step off ofU.S. soil and into foreign territory? Would there be a bigdifference between the convenience industry he’s used to and the way it’s operatedoverseas? CSD captured a glimpse of whatconvenience stores are like in Japan anddiscovered that convenience is conveniencein any language. Gung-Ho ServiceEven though Japan may [...]
Kroger installs automated convenience store in Ohio. Taking aim at the convenience store industry, a Kroger supermarket in Columbus, Ohio has installed Shop24, an automated convenience store machine that will provide more than 150 products varying from drinks to pain relievers, according to a report on local television station WCMH. The equipment, which is similar [...]
Company raises $1.39 million with “Share the Shamrock Spirit” campaign. Valero Energy Corp. recently raised $1.39 million for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) in its “Share the Shamrock Spirit” campaign during which customers could make a donation to MDA at any of the company’s nearly 1,000 U.S. company-operated stores. The total raised is nearly 3% [...]
New payment processing equipment adds convenience to paying for gas. Safeway Inc., a convenience store and supermarket operator with 1,760 stores, reached a deal to begin accepting the Wright Express fleet card for fuel purchases. Safeway, based in Pleasanton, Calif., operates a network of more than 290 fuel sites across the U.S., including Vons in [...]
New promotion marks 20 years of motor sports sponsorship. Chevron Global Marketing has kicked off the Texaco “42 Days of Racing” promotion with a grand prize race package featuring a trip to the final six stock car races of the season and a chance to meet Texaco/Havoline driver Juan Pablo Montoya. Other prizes include a [...]
The novelty category provides retailers with a uniqueopportunity to capture customers’personal hobbies and interests ina single, high-margin item. Whether it isa mother searching for the perfect Disneykey chain for her daughter or a young car enthusiast looking for a hat to wear to the big race, novelty items run the gamut andconvenience stores are faced [...]
NYACS and FIANY hold tobacco and alcohol education classes to prevent underage sales and use. The Responsible Retailers of New York, a joint educational initiative of the New York Association of Convenience Stores (NYACS) and the Food Industry Alliance of New York (FIANY) State, has scheduled an upcoming training session for retailers of tobacco and [...]
New York-based chain on track with expansion plans. Manley’s Mighty Mart has just gotten a little mightier. The Binghamton, N.Y.-based chain made a goal to double the amount of stores it operated–totaling at 18 at the time–within five to seven years. The chain has been steadily on track with that plan, opening four more stores [...]
Replaces Daniel Kelly who will retire in November. The Pantry Inc. has appointed Frank Paci to fill the newly vacant chief financial officer role. Paci, 49, joins The Pantry from Blockbuster, where he was executive vice president and operated finance, strategic planning and business development. His role will begin July 2 when he replaces Daniel [...]
Nectar store awarded by Food Management magazine for innovative health food offering. by Michael Ferrari ____________________________________________ College convenience stores are not only winning over customers, but they’re also winning awards, as is the case with Vanderbilt University and its “Nectar” store. As part of its 2007 “Best Concepts” awards competition, Food Management, a sister publication [...]
Hayward guides company towards new commitment. BP CEO Vows for Safer Operations Hayward guides company towards new commitment. Tony Hayward, BP’s recently inaugurated CEO, has had his hands full. With a refinery explosion in Texas City killing 15 people, a major pipe busting in Alaska and delays with the set up of platforms in the [...]