CStore Decisions September 2021 Digital Edition is sponsored by March Networks .
Neon Marketplace is set to debut its prototype design as it prepares to expand to 150 sites within fi ve years via new-to-industry stores.
Neon Marketplace arrived on the scene in mid-2020, opening two stores in New England in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic at a time when most c-store retailers were grappling with a deluge of new and shifting operating practices.
A year later, the Cranston, R.I.-based chain is finalizing a well-tested prototype design that incorporates its food-centric vision and omnichannel approach, which will roll out in Q4 with the opening of two new-to-industry stores. From there, Neon Marketplace is set to aggressively expand to 25 locations in 2022 within Rhode Island and Massachusetts, before growing to 150 sites within the next five years — all via new builds.
Its omnichannel focus spans drive-through, order-ahead, delivery, a rewards app, as well as electric vehicle (EV) charging and, combined with its upscale proprietary food offering, positions Neon Marketplace as a modern convenience store that’s ready to scale.