CStore Decisions is proud to announce Texas Born (TXB) as our 2023 Convenience Store Chain of the Year.
The Spicewood, Texas-based family-owned chain exemplifies operational excellence, strong leadership and a people-centric culture.
“CStore Decisions’ Chain of the Year Award recognizes retail excellence, and TXB has earned a place in this rich tradition as the 34th winner of this prestigious industry honor,” said Erin Del Conte, editor-in-chief of CStore Decisions. “While many c-stores are struggling to reinvent themselves in a way that meets the evolving needs of today’s customer, TXB has hit the mark with a state-of-the-art store design, a tech-forward mindset, friendly employees and a restaurant-quality food program, making it a powerful and growing competitor in the c-store industry.”
Kevin Smartt, president and CEO of TXB, had the vision for TXB as he considered what his company — then Kwik Chek — meant, and where he wanted it to go in the future. Smartt first announced that Kwik Chek was rebranding to TXB in 2020, and the first rebranded site celebrated its opening in August of 2021 in Georgetown, Texas.
The rebrand included far more than just a new look and logo. It was a chance to focus on the company’s identity as a chain with fresh food, convenient technology, a clean environment and hospitable employees. The TXB brand celebrates the diversity of Texas and its core values — authenticity, hospitality and integrity — to everything it does. With the motto, “Leave ‘Em Better,” TXB strives to ensure its guests have a first-class experience starting with the chain’s commitment to building and maintaining a strong company culture.
“When we decided we were going to be TXB or Texas Born, we loved what our mission represented because we thought it was authentic. We thought it represented where we operated and who we were,” Smartt said.
Today TXB operates over 50 locations in Texas and Oklahoma, with plans for many more new-to-industry builds on the horizon. Over the past three years TXB has been aggressively remodeling all existing Kwik Chek sites to the TXB brand, while also growing through new builds and integrating technology, including an updated loyalty program and mobile app, self-checkout stations and electric vehicle charging.
In addition to a proprietary, restaurant-quality food program that includes hand-pressed tacos and chicken tenders made on-site, TXB also features a private-label line with TXB-branded jerky, water and iced tea. TXB is also committed to sustainability and prioritizing eco-friendly resources, and giving back to the communities where it serves.
“It’s an absolute honor to receive and be recognized for the Chain of the Year Award,” Smartt said. “It’s been a fun and pivotal journey to get TXB where it is today, and there’s so much more to expect in the future!”
C-store retailers are invited to join us in honoring TXB on the evening of Oct. 4 at the Biltmore Ballrooms in Atlanta. C-store retailers can RSVP at https://COY2023.eventbrite.com.
Supplier companies must be sponsors to attend. Suppliers interested in sponsorship opportunities should contact John Petersen, publisher of The Convenience Store Decisions Group, at [email protected].
About the Chain of the Year Award
CStore Decisions’ Convenience Store Chain of the Year award annually honors a convenience store or petroleum chain that has established itself as a superior retailer and innovator in the c-store industry. CSD’s first Chain of the Year award was Wawa Inc. in 1990. TXB follows the 2022 Chain of the Year Winner Nouria Energy. Past winners of this prestigious award include Sheetz, Maverik, RaceTrac, 7-Eleven Inc., Kwik Trip, Alimentation Couche-Tard, QuikTrip, Rutter’s and Family Express.
Past Chain of the Year Winners
1990 – Wawa Inc.
1991 – SuperAmerica
1992 – QuikTrip Corp.
1993 – Casey’s General Stores Inc.
1994 – Sheetz Inc.
1995 – Diamond Shamrock Corp.
1996 – MAPCO Express Inc.
1997 – Speedway Inc.
1998 – Krause Gentle Corp.
1999 – Dairy Mart Inc.
2000 – Amerada Hess Corp.
2001 – Huck’s Food & Fuel
2002 – Petro-Canada
2003 – Exxon Mobil Corp.
2004 – Kwik Trip Inc.
2005 – 7-Eleven Inc.
2006 – Valero Inc.
2007 – Alimentation Couche-Tard
2008 – Chevron Inc.
2009 – Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes
2010 – Rutter’s Farm Stores
2011 – Thorntons Inc.
2012 – Tedeschi Food Shops
2013 – Maverik Inc.
2014 – RaceTrac Petroleum Inc.
2015 – Family Express Corp.
2016 – QuickChek Corp.
2017 – Sheetz Inc. (Second Award)
2018 – Kwik Trip Inc. (Second Award)
2019 – Weigel’s Inc.
2020 – Parker’s
2021 – Yesway
2022 – Nouria Energy
2023 — TXB