Kentucky operator presented the industry’s most prestigious retail award at a gala in Chicago. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. Convenience Store Decisions honored Louisville, Ky.-based Thorntons Inc. as its 22nd annual Convenience Store Chain of the Year at an exclusive dinner at Café Spiaggia in Chicago last month during the NACS Show. More than 200 [...]
High-temperature warewashers not only offer environmental and cost-saving benefits, they can also improve food safety by ensuring that wash and rinse temperatures always comply with the NSF and FDA Food Code minimum temperatures. Restaurant managers who want to reduce water consumption and energy costs in their operations while enhancing performance and food safety need look [...]
“Market conditions continue to pose challenges for our refining and supply segment and, while the refineries’ operational performance improved during the third quarter with crude utilization averaging 90%, the segment reported another loss,” says Sunoco CEO. Sunoco Inc. has reported a net loss attributable to Sunoco shareholders of $1,096 million ($9.62 per share diluted) for [...]
Customers who buy $100 in ExxonMobil Gift Cards can receive a $10 Gift Card free. Exxon and Mobil retailers are spreading the joy this holiday season by giving customers an opportunity “to give” and “to receive.” From Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, customers who purchase $100 in ExxonMobil gift cards at any Exxon or Mobil [...]
Cedarlane Natural Foods Inc., makers of egg white omelettes in the frozen foods market, is serving up two new breakfast options. Cedarlane’s new all-natural frozen Broccoli Cheddar and Garden Vegetable & Mozzarella Egg White Omelettes are high in protein, low in cholesterol, and gluten-free, making it easy to get a quick, hot and healthy restaurant-quality [...]
Whether it’s aspirin or shaving cream, HBC is a growing category that deserves a renewed focus. By Joe Bush, Contributing Editor. HBC is making a comeback from coast to coast. The category—from shampoos and skin creams to cough drops and cold remedies—has always had its rightful place in a convenience store—providing a grab-and-go remedy for [...]
One unhappy shopping experience can influence the behavior of 16 customers. Can you afford to lose that business? By Jim Callahan. Great customer service is still and will always be the hallmark of any successful retail business. As convenience store operators we have high standards to compete with. For example, it is standard practice in [...]
This will increase the value-added proposition of being an MPA/MACS member,” says MPA/MACS president. The Michigan Petroleum Association and Michigan Association of Convenience Stores (MPA/MACS) is endorsing Hudson Specialty Insurance Co. as the preferred insurer to provide underground storage tank pollution insurance to MPA/MACS members. Insurance can be obtained through the General Agency Company, based [...]
Outstanding service, a sincere dedication to its team members and an ongoing commitment to convenience retailing earn the Louisville, Ky. chain the industry’s oldest and most prestigious award. By John Lofstock, Editor. The late Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Inc., once said, “A lot of companies have chosen to downsize. We chose a different path. [...]
U.S. retail and marketing continuing operations generated earnings of $88.0 million in the third quarter of 2011 compared to earnings of $59.0 million in the 2010 quarter. Murphy Oil Corp.’s net income in the third quarter of 2011 totaled $406.1 million ($2.09 per diluted share), which was double the net income of $202.8 million ($1.05 per diluted share) in [...]
Douglas Yawberry has been promoted to vice president of operations at Weigel Stores Inc., a Knoxville Dairy and convenience store chain. In his new position, Yawberry is responsible for all store related operations, and will serve as a member of Weigel’s Corporate and Market Planning Group. Yawberry, a graduate of State Fair College Sedalia, Mo., [...]
A convenience store in Alabama is enticing customers with inexpensive dispensed steaks. Amir Sagani, manager at Odenville, Ala.-based Lil Mart said he jumped at the opportunity to add the “Smart Butcher,” the first meat dispensing vending machine in Alabama, to his store, CBS42 Online reported. The Smart Butcher arrived at Sagani’s store less than a [...]
Kangaroo Express’ Roo mascot runs for office—awards fans with free coffee. The Roo, the voice and mascot of Kangaroo Express Convenience Stores, is running for mayor of Charleston and Charlotte, N.C. “The Roo believes every man, woman and child deserves a break in their day. A couple minutes to grab a tasty cup of coffee [...]
Pride, tradition, exceptional service, an outstanding culture and dedicated employees. These are just some of the unique qualities found in the industry’s top convenience store chains. For the past 22 years, Convenience Store Decisions has had the honor of recognizing this excellence in retailing and this year we are proud to honor Thorntons Inc. as [...]
Vitamix introduces The Quiet One, a powerful, premium blender that utilizes exclusive technology for superior noise reduction. An innovative door seal design, coupled with patent-pending floating technology, significantly reduces vibration transmission and improves airflow, which reduces sound, making The Quite One ideal for any front-of-the-house environment. It operates 18 decibels below its closest competitor on [...]