Core-Mark Appoints New Board Member

Core-Mark Appoints New Board Member

Rob Gross brings more than 20 years of multi-retail experience to his new role with Core-Mark. Core-Mark Holding Co. Inc., one of the largest marketers of fresh and broad-line supply solutions to the convenience retail industry in North America, has appointed Robert Gross to its Board of Directors. Gross will serve as an independent director [...]

Operational Excellence

Operational Excellence

By John Matthews, founder and president of Gray Cat Enterprises Inc. Managing a retail store is tough work. Between operations, merchandising, marketing and facility upkeep, retail business owners have their hands full.  Managing the details of retail is the difference between making it or not.  All too often, retail owners become lax in their operation [...]

SUPERVALU Sells Bristol Farms Division

SUPERVALU Sells Bristol Farms Division

SUPERVALU has sold its Bristol Farms division (14 stores) to a company formed through a partnership with the Bristol Farms management team and Endeavour Capital, an investment firm experienced in grocery and retail businesses. Under the terms of the sale, the stores will change ownership effective today, but will continue to operate under the Bristol [...]

NATO Trade Show Gains Support

NATO Trade Show Gains Support

The National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO) reported that key manufacturers have formally committed to its 2011 trade show and conference in Las Vegas. Supporters currently include Altadis USA, Swisher International, Swedish Match, Republic Tobacco, National Tobacco Co., King Maker Marketing, Smoker Friendly International and Zippo Lighter Co. During NATO’s annual awards dinner last month, [...]

Mind Control: The Road to Success and Rewards

Mind Control: The Road to Success and Rewards

Fostering determination, desire and a great attitude in employees is what allows cashiers and middle managers to rise in senior management’s eyes. Saturday is my “honey, I’ll do it today” day. To be candid, though, my wife is much better with home repairs than me. We tackled regrouting an entire bathroom and my task was [...]

Handee Marts Garners Ethics Award

Handee Marts Garners Ethics Award

Don’t think customer service makes a difference? Handee Marts’ President and CEO Mike Triantafellou would disagree. Handee Marts, which operates 67 7-Eleven convenience stores in Pittsburgh, was honored recently with the Pittsburgh Business Ethics Award (PBEA), presented by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals, in conjunction with the David Berg Center [...]

Finding Pizza Perfection

Finding Pizza Perfection

Choosing a branded pizza partner means balancing a complex equation that weighs such factors as product quality, financial and logistical considerations, marketing programs, employee training, ongoing support, brand equity and local competition. Suddenly, a cheese pizza isn’t so simple any more. It’s a complex decision that must be made carefully, said Dan Rotherham, director of [...]

Securing the Convenience Store

Securing the Convenience Store

Security remains an ongoing concern for convenience store operators, but new technologies and approaches are offering some great help. And great help is a great asset, because there is a lot of work to be done. Bad economic times mean increases in petty theft at retail. In fact, U.S. retailers lost $34.8 billion in stolen [...]

Pumping Up In-Store Sales

Pumping Up In-Store Sales

A busy salesman on the way to his next appointment pulls into a Spinx convenience store to fill up his tank. It’s almost 1 p.m. and he hasn’t stopped since his day began just before 9 a.m. While pumping fuel, he glances at the color monitor built into the gas pump. He looks closer at [...]

Honoring Our Past

Honoring Our Past

This month begins a very special year for Convenience Store Decisions. Throughout 2009 we are committed to recognizing the leaders and innovators that have shaped the convenience store and petroleum industry and helped create this multi-billion-dollar retail sector. Legends in Retailing will focus on the challenges operators faced in the early days of the industry, [...]