I have always been a c-store guy, I just did not realize it until I became affiliated with this publication and started paying more attention to the intricacies of the segment. Thanks to my wife, I rarely go to the grocery store anymore–she actually likes the experience. I also rarely take the time to enjoy…
Convenience Concerns
I was getting breakfast at my local convenience store recently, an unbranded joint close to my office, when I noticed a new addition to the store. Right by one of the two pay stations was a neatly handwritten sign that read, “No Cell Phones in Line.” I have to admit this message surprised me. The…
Pollution Rules on Hold in California
As small businesses struggle to weather the economic downturn, California lawmakers are scrambling to temporarily suspend state rules requiring gas station owners to install costly pollution control equipment. California Assemblyman Martin Garrick introduced a proposal Wednesday that would suspend the start date for enforcement of the rules by one year, to April 1, 2010. The…
MAPCO Partners with nFinanSe
In an effort to capitalize on the growing prepaid gift card trend, MAPCO Express Inc. said it would carry nFinanSe’s Discover Network General Purpose Reloadable Prepaid Cards and Gift Cards at its more than 450 MAPCO Express convenience stores. Consumers can purchase the nFinanSe General Purpose Reloadable Prepaid Card for only $5.95 and conveniently add…
Electrolux Rolls Out Energy-Saving Equipment
Foodservice operators can make a positive contribution to the energy-saving effort and their bottom line by using professional kitchen equipment that features energy saving technology. Through committed research and development, Electrolux Professional has incorporated energy-efficient features into their foodservice equipment that are both operator-friendly and earth-friendly. Energy-conscious operators can use Electrolux air-o-steam combi ovens, both…
Sheetz Gets Aggressive on Tobacco
In response to the April 1 increase in federal excise taxes, Sheetz Convenience Stores in Maryland are guaranteeing the lowest allowed price on cigarettes in the state. “Maryland sets a state minimum on cigarette prices and if we sold them for less than the state minimum, I’d end up in jail. However, I can promise…
Illinois Eyes Tobacco Tax Hike
Illinois cigarette tax would leap by $1 over two years under a proposal a Senate committee approved today hoping to come up with more money to pay down the state’s big backlog of Medicaid bills. But the Illinois Association of Convenience Stores warned lawmakers that the proposal is a fiscal nightmare that will cause the…
Rhode Island Retailers Rally
Owners and employees of Rhode Island convenience stores are calling on state legislators to reject proposed hikes to the state’s gasoline and cigarette taxes. Dozens of convenience store workers held a rally Tuesday against a proposal to raise the tax on a pack of cigarettes by one dollar to $3.46. That would be the highest…
Appco C-Stores Re-Open for Business
Two months after filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy, Appco’s convenience stores are reopening for business. Two stores in Erwin, Tenn. opened the doors to their convenience stores this week, however, the Long John Silver’s and A&W eateries are still closed. “The stores are back to normal operation and have the typical convenience store items for…
Industry to Congress: Lower Credit Card Fees
A coalition of retailers today launched a campaign to lobby Congress to require credit card companies to negotiate with retailers in an effort to lower the “interchange” fee, averaging 2%, which retailers pay on each credit card transaction. The Merchants Payments Coalition launched the campaign this morning during a telephone press conference with representatives of…