Warrenton Oil Co. launches its Swirls n Sweets frozen yogurt concept in its convenience stores and in a standalone format. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. Warrenton Oil Co. knows first hand that staying versatile in an ever-changing industry is the key to long-term success. This past fall, the owners of the FastLane convenience store chain [...]
Due diligence and proper maintenance can protect your investment and help keep your kitchen tools running longer. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. Choosing the right foodservice equipment can be an often overwhelming task given the range of options available to retailers today. Efficient cooking equipment from induction cooktops, clamshell griddles, convection ovens and combi ovens [...]
From mystery shoppers to checklists, creating benchmarks for employees and evaluating their success can curb customer complaints. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. A Harris Interactive survey compiled in 2011 revealed that 94% of U.S. adults would avoid a business in the future if they encountered dirty restrooms. And with foodservice infiltrating convenience stores at a [...]
Team Oil secures its future as an employee-focused organization by promoting from within. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. Tony and Eric Huppert, owners of Team Oil Inc. of Spring Valley, Wis., have promoted Carrie Vanasse to head of operations, following Tony’s announcement this year of his upcoming retirement. The succession plan was implemented to secure [...]
The convenience retailing industry continues to be dominated by single-store operators, which now account for 62.9% of all convenience stores. The U.S. convenience store count increased to a record 149,220 stores as of Dec. 31, 2012, a 0.7% increase (1,094 stores) from the year prior, according to the 2013 NACS/Nielsen Convenience Industry Store Count. The [...]
Educational sessions designed for convenience store executives and plenty of networking highlighted the National Advisory Group’s 2012 meeting in New Orleans. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. Retailers and suppliers converged at the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans in September for four days of strategic educational sessions on burning issues facing the industry and [...]
Company-owned Cenex Zip Trip stores feature a revamped look and a new line of fresh foods, while the Cenex-branded network is driving sales with a renewed retail design and a loyalty partnership with Cabela’s. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. CHS Inc. is surging into 2013 with exciting new convenience store designs for its two primary [...]
Kum & Go goes large with LEED certification, while smaller operators are opting for lighting upgrades. What can your store do to grow sustainability? By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. Regardless of a convenience store chain’s size, opportunities exist for improving the bottom line through energy efficiency, both by reducing operations costs and by attracting environmentally-focused [...]
When it comes to store perception cleanliness counts, especially if your site offers foodservice. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. If your c-store aims to be taken seriously as a foodservice destination, image is everything. Retailers who spend as much time focusing on the cleanliness of their store and maintaining a pristine restroom as they do [...]
New Shopper Experience Innovation Center allows retailers to test concepts in mock stores with real customers. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. The Coca-Cola Co. has launched a Shopper Experience Innovation Center (SEIC) in Atlanta. The 15,000-square-foot facility opened last May and contains two retail environments that can be converted from a supermarket to a drug [...]
By: John Matthews, founder and president of Gray Cat Enterprises Inc. Running a small business has its share of ups and downs. When I launched Gray Cat Enterprises nearly nine years ago, running my own small business has been both rewarding and challenging. Gray Cat has enabled me to establish greater balance in my life [...]
Geolocation, QR codes and NFC are just some of the technologies changing they way people pay at retail. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. In an ever-evolving world of payment technology, there’s no time for retailers to rest on their laurels when it comes to managing data security. Most c-store chains that intend to strive for [...]
Isis, with the support of Gilbarco Veeder-Root and Wayne, launches in Texas and Salt Lake City as it looks to gain traction in the growing mobile payments industry. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. Isis, a mobile commerce joint venture by AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless, introduced its long-anticipated Isis Mobile Wallet last month, [...]
After an extensive remodel and the introduction of Tedeschi Fresh Foods, Elizabeth Constantine’s franchise unit has seen its sales soar. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. As a long-time franchisee of Tedeschi Food Shops, Convenience Store Decisions’ 2012 Convenience Store Chain of the Year, Elizabeth Constantine has been impressed with how well Tedeschi looks after its [...]
In any loyalty program, simplicity is crucial to customer adoption. Chevron and the Vons division of Safeway Inc. have partnered to offer a joint Reward Points loyalty program. Customers who earn gas rewards by shopping with their VonsClub Card at Vons stores or a ValuePlus Card at Pavilions stores now can spend their rewards of [...]